Philippians 2:14-15 (KJV) states: Do all things without murmurings and disputings: that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

So, why are there grumbling Christians? You know. Those people that you see in church and you turn in the other direction when you see them coming. They never have anything happy to say. No testimony of the goodness of God that week. You are immediately brought down by their presence. Their complaints bother you because they wreak of doubt that God is all powerful.

Complaining is nowhere on the list of the fruit of the Spirit. In fact, it leads to everything that is the opposite of the fruits of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV) states: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Complaining brings about what I call the anti-fruit of the Spirit: animosity, misery, discord, agitation, a hard heart, corruption, distrust, arrogance, rash behavior. Observe:

I used to work with a young man who complained about everything. from the time he walked in, to the time he left. There was no good in anything. No silver lining to anything. At first, I thought it was the growing pains of a new job but as I got to know him, I was quickly disabused of that theory. He was a study in the saying misery loves company. His complaining spread. One by one the people that worked with him on his shift started complaining about everything. Corruption. They started bickering and backbiting. Animosity and discord. People began to get tired of him. They tried to switch shifts to get away from him. Distrust and misery. Resentment blossomed. His co-workers began to hate coming to work. Agitation. They wouldn’t listen to correction. Hard hearts. Management would not advance is responsibilities because when given the chance he complained about that! So, he took that to mean that he was irreplaceable. Arrogance. Another young lady manifested her complaints by walking off the job whenever she couldn’t get her way. Rash behavior.

Those two employees no longer work there. Now, there is nothing wrong with complaining. We all have times where we are frustrated with something and we let it out. We need to ask God’s forgiveness in those times. As a matter of fact, it says in 1 Peter 5:7 (KJV) says, Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Cast all your cares. Not some but, all. Your fear, your anger, your worry, your complaints. Bring them all to the Lord. As you can see in my story above, it only took one person airing his complaints to bring an entire shift down.

Think of what your complaining is doing to those around you. What it’s doing to you. You might think that you are blowing off steam but when you make it a habit, it plants the seeds of the anti-fruit. Just like your countenance changes when God takes over your life, it also changes when you let the anti-fruit take over your life. I know a gentleman that has let complaining be his lifestyle. He became a grumbling Christian. He set aside his faith and moved God from the center of his life. He used to be robust and happy. He ruined his family. He is now gaunt and sick looking to the point where those who know him ask what has happened to him. He looks older than his years and his body has begun to break down. Remember why the Israelites didn’t make it to the promise land.

Your challenge: When you find yourself complaining, stop yourself. Get yourself to a quiet area to tell God or hold it until you can get to your closet to let it out and ask for peace and a solution. Once you get the solution, put it into action. ~ Selah