In Exodus 16, Israel was delivered from Egypt and crossed the Red Sea on dry ground. Israel was on the other side of the Red Sea, but there was a problem – the people were hungry, angry and discontent – they started to murmur and complain and ventured into dangerous territory.
Today, complaining has become a part of ‘normal’ daily conversation. Many people see complaining as a natural thing that we are just supposed to do. It would seem that if you aren’t complaining then you’re considered an anomaly. Being complaint-free is almost considered a virtue because it’s so rare to encounter people who never complain.
However, we learn in Exodus 16 and other places throughout scripture (Philippians 2:14, Ephesians 4:29, James 5:9, Numbers 11, 1 Corinthians 10:10) that complaining is evil. And the reasons are obvious.
When we complain, we are ungrateful. There is a lack of graciousness or thankfulness that we are simply alive. Second, complaining is not from the Lord; complaining is from Satan. Satan tempts us to complain, but let’s not fall for the temptation and open the door to the devil. Complaining and being discontent is simply bait.
The second thing that’s worth mentioning is that complaining and pride are linked. People who complain have a pride problem. Pride is dangerous – and complaining is simply a byproduct of pride.
If you have the habit of complaining I suggest three things:
First, go to God and ask for forgiveness. Repent if you’re a complainer and close any demonic spiritual doors that you’ve opened as a result of complaining.
Second, thank Him for all that you have. Be grateful. The opposite of complaining is gratitude. Creating a gratitude list is a powerful way to keep a complaint-free life. It’s difficult to complain when you’re examining the blessings in your life. Everyone I know (including myself) that’s created a gratitude list has been immensely blessed by it.
The third thing that I’ll suggest is to get a complaint bracelet. Sometimes it’s easier to conquer an undesirable habit by becoming aware of it. Some people simply aren’t aware of how much they actually complain. The complaint bracelet should be somewhat difficult to remove – wear it on your arm, and switch arms every time you complain. You’ll become more mindful of your thought life. I’ve done this before in the past, and it works.
BOHO + THEO 