“CONTAINING OUR COMPLAINING”
Phil. 2:14, Deut. 1:26-38
On the seventh day God rested....and on the 8 th day God started answering complaints.
A man dreamed of joining a monastery. His goal in life was to become a monk. So one day he went to a monastery and talked to the head monk and said, “What do I need to do to join.” Was told that it was more difficult that what he thought. In our monastery monks are only allowed to say two words every year.” He said, “That sounds a bit extreme, but I’ve wanted to be a monk for so long, I’m going to give it a try.” So he was shown to his room. And so for the next twelve months the man never said a word. At the end of his first year he was taken to the head monk, and was told he could now say his two words. Guy said, “Food’s bad.” He went back to his room, and was silent for another twelve months. At the end of his second year he again was taken to the head monk for his two words. This time his two words were, “Bed’s hard.” Head monk said, “OK.” And the man went back to his room. Another twelve months of silence passed, and he was brought again to the head monk for his annual two words. This time the guy said, “I quit.” The head monk said, “Well, it doesn’t surprise me. All you’ve done is complain ever since you got here.” oct98
Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit orders up a tall order. Do all things without murmuring......”complaining”. Doesn’t he realize who we are ? Doesn’t he understand that we are Baptists and we were born to complain. Somebody once said......”That’s it not the things I don’t understand about the Bible that trouble me, but it’s the things I do understand. I understand this scripture.....Work without complaining, serve without complaining, give without complaining, go without complaining. I understand this,.....and it troubles me......know why ? Because I occasionally.....well regularly complain. Yet, the truth of the matter is that we really have very little to complain about, most of the time it doesn’t help, and most of the stuff we complain about is not worth it.
I want us to look at “Containing Our Complaining” Let’s look at an example in the Bible of what complaining can cost, and the danger it can be.
Deut. 1:26-28
1. The Cause of Complaining.
a. Rebellion-Disobedience....bottom line cause of their complaining....They didn’t want to do what God told them to do.....so they began to Complain....perhaps they were hoping that if they complained long enough he would change his plans
One question we need to ask when we begin to complain.....why are we complaining ? Could it be that we are sinning. That we are not doing what God has told us to do ?
b. Reaction- Complaining is often a reaction to tough circumstances. We look at the circumstances...and we complain. We take our eyes off of God. We forget who is in control, and we began to murmur, grumble, gripe if you will. And before long....we’re not just complaining about
what originally set us off....but we’re complaining about everything.
c. Rejection. v32 Complaining often has as its root......UNBELIEF. Let’s face it......murmuring, and complaining shows ingratitude, and forgetfulness for all that God has done for us in the past. They are reminded of that in the scripture.
Illust.
Out West, a cowboy was driving down a dirt road, his dog riding in back of the pickup truck, his faithful horse in the trailer behind. He failed to negotiate a curve and had a terrible accident. Sometime later, a highway patrol officer came on the scene. An animal lover, he saw the horse first.
Realizing the serious nature of its injuries, he drew his service revolver and put the animal out of his misery. He walked around the accident and found the dog, also hurt critical. He couldn’t bear to hear it whine in pain, so he ended the dog’s suffering as well. Finally he located the cowboy --who suffered multiple fractures--off in the weeds. “Hey, are you
okay?” the cop asked. The cowboy took one look at the smoking revolver in the trooper’s hand and quickly replied, “Never felt better!” --
2. The Curse of Complaining.
Complaining is a curse. It creates a curse.
a. Complaining is Contagious. Notice first of all they begin to murmur in their tents, and before long the whole congregation is moaning, and groaning, and complaining. You hang around a negative person very
and before long....”the sky will be falling” Let’s keep a positive attitude and a positive outlook about life, and it will take us alot further than
being negative.
b. Complaining is often Contentious. In Deut. 1 the murmuring, and complaining led to division, and dissension among the children of Israel
c. Complaining is often Costly. Notice what it brought to the children of Israel. They became discouraged and defeated....and they missed
out on the blessings of God. Let’s not allow ourselves, our homes, and our church to be discouraged nor defeated by the inability to contain
the desire to complain.
3. The Cure of Complaining.
Though we shall always have some complaints...we are imperfect beings living in a imperfect world. We can still keep from becoming enslaved to a negative spirit.
a. Observation-Why am I complaining ? Keep our eyes off the circumstances, and on the Lord.
b. Opportunistic-Look for ways to become part of a solution rather than part of the problem. I have noticed that those who complain the loudest or usually the ones who do the least.....so be opportunistic, and engage yourself in the work of the Lord rather than in complaining.
c. Optimistic.- In the book “Springs In The Valley, the writer tells of a man who found a barn which contained the seeds that Satan sows into the human heart. He found that the seeds of complaining were quite numerous, and he learned that these seeds could be made to grow most anywhere.....but when Satan was questioned he reluctantly admitted that there was one place where he could never get them to thrive. And
where is that asked the man ? Sadly Satan replied, In the heart of a grateful man.
Let’s consider all that God has done for us, and all thatGod has promised to us, and all that awaits us, and it is certain we will complain much less.
