Grumbling

Hebrews 3:13
But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

One of the things I’ve learned about myself is that when I look at other people’s bad behavior, the things that irritate me the most are the very things that I can’t stand about myself. It sometimes takes time to realize that I’m doing this, but often leads me to personal repentance.

I want to talk about something I’ve seen others doing, realized I was also doing it, and then began to understand how destructive this thing is. It’s the sin of “grumbling.”

Let’s face it. Grumbling is fun. It feels good. It’s a stress reliever. It seems to stroke a very pleasurable part of our flesh. I personally find myself drawn in when I hear someone who’s grumbling. Half the time, I don’t even realize I’m doing it.  The problem that I noticed was that I have been hearing more and more grumbling from fellow Christians. There could be any number of reasons for this. It might just be a coincidence, maybe tough times have made us all a little more grumbly, or maybe it’s just become an thing that is become accepted as normal.
My point is to “encourage” all who will read this to be reminded of the sinfulness of the sin of grumbling or complaining.

1 Corinthians 9-11
Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents. Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come

This passage brought much conviction as I read it the other morning. For some reason, it took me by surprise to learn that God’s wrath was kindled by the sin of grumbling. To the point that he sent an angel to literally kill some of those that were engaged in this sin, thus providing an example for us today of the seriousness of this sin.
I want to encourage all who claim to follow Jesus Christ to be willing to not only restrain themselves, but come together and hold each other accountable on this issue.
Beyond kindling God’s wrath, there is another important motive for not grumbling that can be found in the following passage:

Philippians 2:13-15
for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,

We are to be “lights” in “in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation”.
Why?

1 Peter 2:12
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

It might be a bit of a reach, but this verse appears to suggest that God can somehow use our good “behavior” in the process of bringing people to salvation. Only the truly saved, will be able to “glorify God on the day he visits us.” Everyone else will be trying to hide.