My brother, my sister, you may say that you are not grumbling against God, but today I have one little expression for you: grumble and stumble! What does it mean? Simply that, if you want to stumble in your Christian walk, disappoint God by opening your mouth to speak words of complaint, gripe, whine, murmur, mutter. But no matter how you put it, to grumble is most assuredly to stumble in the eyes of both God and those who have a close walk with Him. The Bible tells us that grumbling was the reason why the Israelites were 40 years in the wilderness instead of a week! And be aware of this… they did not grumble directly to God. They grumbled against God’s servant, Moses! Yes, only three days after being miraculously delivered from Egypt, the Israelites grumbled against Moses due to a lack of drinking water (Exodus 15:22-27). The Bible also tells us that, A year into their journey, the people were again found complaining about their hardships. God heard it and became angry. Yes, despite the manna and everything God was giving them, they continued to complain and “The Lord became exceedingly angry” (Numbers 11:10).
My friend, never be the person a servant of God turns to the Lord because what you have said or done has troubled their heart. Moses asked God: “What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? 12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their ancestors?” (Numbers 11:11-12). Be sure that God will support His servant: “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand” (Romans 14:4). Sometimes the mouth rushes to talk nonsense, but God knows the workload of His true servants in this fallen world to allow us to say nonsense about His anointed ones.
Today’s church is taking things lightly. That is why we see many sick people who do not find healing, many people in need whose needs are not provided for… God does not joke, my friend. Many times in the New Testament we are reminded not to grumble, but instead, be thankful in all circumstances (good or bad). Yes, we are commanded this: “do not grumble” (1 Corinthians 10:10), “do everything without complaining or arguing” (Philippians 2:14), “don’t grumble against each other” (James 5:9). My friend, the Bible goes further to say that grumblers and faultfinders are actually following their own evil desires, boasting about themselves, and flattering others for their own advantage, just as unbelievers (Jude 1:16). Therefore, they cannot be content with their situations.
My friend, Satan uses complaints, groans and murmurs to make the children of God stumble and never mature. Open your heart for the Spirit of God to make changes in you for you to become effective for the Kingdom. But remember this, the more you grumble, the more you are building a prison wall around yourself and God will not answer the prayers of a grumbler. Why? Because grumbling is an expression of unbelief and lack of faith in Him. And when you grumble, God can end up withdrawing His hand of protection over you and let the very things you have grumbled about happen to you: “How long shall this wicked congregation grumble against me? I have heard the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against me. Say to them, ‘As I live, declares the Lord, what you have said in my hearing I will do to you” (Numbers 14:27-29). In other words, if you are complaining that you don’t have money… that’s exactly what you will get (no money), etc… Stay blessed in Jesus’ name.