The Westminster Shorter Catechism asks the question: What is the chief end of man? To which it answers: Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever. Too often Christians by their words choose to grumble instead of glorify the Lord. If you ever do a study of the books of Exodus and Numbers you will see that despite all of God’s miracles and provisions for the Israelites they constantly grumbled against the Lord. In fact, their unbelief and grumbling were the chief reasons the Israelites had to spend 40 years wandering in the wilderness.
My friends we were created to enjoy Jesus and to glorify His wonderful name. But too often we murmur and grumble when things don’t go our way. If we would only sit back and reflect on all that the Lord has done for us, I believe, we would find little to complain and grumble about. Grumbling, murmuring, and complaining are actually sinful behaviors and do not line up with the will of God for our lives. For we are told in (1 Thessalonians 5:18): “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” As Christians we should be the most thankful people on the planet and ask God to help us banish grumbling from our behavior.
One of the great antidotes for grumbling is praise. First, it is impossible to be praising the Lord and grumbling at the same time. Second, when you are down in the dumps and depressed, praise is just what the doctor ordered for we read in (Isaiah 61:3) to put on: “…the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness…” Third, praise is one of the best ways to glorify Jesus for it takes the focus off of ourselves and places it on Jesus. (Psalm 50:23) tells us: “Whoever offers praise glorifies Me…” And fourth, and this is so critical, we don’t praise God based on how we feel but based on who He is. (Psalm 150:2) tells us: “Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!” Notice this verse does not say praise Him based on how you feel, or whether you are having a good day, but it says praise Him based on who He is. When we reflect on just how great God is and on all of His magnificent attributes praise should automatically flow from our heart and lips.
So often we forget that we were created to have fellowship with God and to glorify His name. A grumbling or sour-puss Christian is a horrible testimony and we don’t have to be that way. (Ephesians 1:4-6) tells us that we were chosen by God to the praise of the glory of His grace. For we read: “just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” Our time on earth is from another perspective training for eternity. We are not here primarily for our comfort but to glorify God in both the good and bad times.
Still having trouble with grumbling? Why not start praising Jesus right now for all of His blessings. When you do you will truly enter into His presence. And when you enter into His presence expect guidance for your journey through life, great joy, and pleasures you never knew you could experience in this life and the life to come. (Psalm 16:11) says it so well: “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
“If we would only sit back and reflect on all that the Lord has done for us, I believe, we would find little to complain and grumble about.”
You might say there is a disconnect between all the Lord has done for us and not complaining when we consider those around the world who are being persecuted, forgotten and killed. The child that watches while his mom and dad are brutally slain before his eyes or those who are enslaved, beaten, and starved. How do such victims praise instead of complain?
As a matter of fact, complaining is one way in which the psalmist appeals to the Lord.
I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him Ps. 142:2.
One-third of the Psalms are laments.
In these laments the writer pours out to God his sorrow (Psalm 137), anger (Psalm 140), fear (Psalm 69), longing (Psalm 85), confusion (Psalm 102), desolation (Psalm 22), repentance (Psalm 51), disappointment (Psalm 74), or depression (Psalm 88) either because of external evil or internal evil or darkness. These could be construed as complaints and through it all, we are to praise Him. But praise has a predicate, trust. We may praise, we may complain but even in the face of death, the follower of Christ will trust. We see this in the oldest book of the Bible, the book of Job. In Job 13:15 we read, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.” Our praise is born of trust and without the kind of trust that stands in the face of death, praise is an empty exercise.
Let your complaints and your praises be based on trust, a trust that never fails, no matter what dire circumstances we face.