A Woman's Walk: Are You A Grumbler?
Recently a friend posted several Scripture references telling us, as YHWH’s people, we should not be grumblers. We should not be griping and complaining. She reminded those that read her posts that a whole generation of people weren’t able to enter the Promised Land because of their insistent complaining.
Can you imagine not being able to see the Promised Land because you couldn’t stop griping and complaining?
Numbers 14:27-30
“How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who are grumbling against Me? I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel, which they are making against Me. Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will surely do to you; your corpses will fall in this wilderness, even all your numbered men, according to your complete number from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against Me. Surely you shall not come into the land in which I swore to settle you, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun."
Her post really made me think about the Israelites and how often they complained and grumbled about what they wished they had or their circumstances and look at what their consequences were. What will be our consequences?
And this wasn’t just a problem with the Israelites; if we move forward to Yeshua’s time, we see it here too.
John 6:43
"Yeshua answered, “Stop grumbling among yourselves!"
Philippians 2:14
"Do everything without grumbling or arguing,"
1 Peter 4:9
"Be hospitable one to another without grumbling."
James 5:9
"Do not grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be judged. Behold, the judge is standing at the doors."
1 Corinthians 10:10
"And let’s not grumble, as some of them did—and were destroyed by the destroying angel."
These Scriptures beg us to ask these questions:
Just how often do I complain?
Am I being a light by being a grumbler?
Are others able to see YHWH in me if I’m always complaining?
If you ask yourself these questions and find that you too may be a grumbler, then it is definitely time for a change in perspective and Philippians tells us exactly what things we should dwell on.
Philippians 4:8
"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any virtue and if there is anything worthy of praise—dwell on these things."
I often think about Job and how no matter what happened to him, he never spoke against YHWH, he remained faithful. He is a great example of how we should be.
Job 27:3-4
“As long as my breath is in me, and the Spirit of God is in my nostrils, my lips will not speak falsehood, and my tongue will not utter deceit.”
No matter what happens in our life, we are called to be thankful, focusing on what is good and choosing to be joyful. After all, what do most of us truly have to complain about? Our Father takes care of all of our provisions and handles all of our circumstances. How can we complain about what He has provided us?
For the last several weeks, I have taken 10 minutes each day to focus on thanking YHWH for His provision, His creation and well…. everything. It has really changed my perspective and my thoughts and helped me to think about the good in my life. It is really difficult to complain when you are occupied with being thankful!
So today I challenge you to take a few minutes each day to just thank our Creator and see if it changes your perspective as well.
We hope that this message has blessed you.
Remember, continue to test everything.
Shalom