MARCH-MAY 2019 ISSUE: SHOULD A CHRISTIAN MURMUR?
One of the most natural things we do when we are displeased or feel ill-treated is to complain and sometimes we go the extra mile to cause confusion and even wrangling in several cases. This is a natural mechanism through which we can register our displeasure on the unpleasant things going around in our lives, in our society and even in the Church.
Murmuring is a thing of normality in our day and time and it is easy to see people complaining about the things happening around the globe. People can complain and say all manner of things when things aren’t going on well. Some complains are legitimate especially in situations where people are denied their rights. However, it is worth noting that complaining about the unpleasant things does not solve any problem.
It is even sad to know that God’s elect are the most people into this act. In the church, the members often times complain about their leaders. When the Church is not evangelizing very well, the members go to their homes and anytime they hear a false teachings broadcast in the radio or television, they complain and blame the leaders in their congregation for why they don’t evangelize or preach better. It seems much easier to complain than solve problems. Isn’t it? We can complain about everything going on in the Church, without ever thinking about how we as individuals and collectively as God’s people can joint hands to solve the problems we have identified. Everyone likes to complain and blame others in one way or the other for the unpleasant things happening in or around our lives. Sometimes, we even complain about the sinful things people do, without taking an action to help these people out of their sins. Complaining has derailed the need for Christian love. Isn’t it?
When we murmur often, it becomes our habit and we will never see the good other people do and get to appreciate them. Even towards God, we will fail to be grateful to Him when murmuring becomes our habit. If we constantly complain, we can never be grateful to God.
As Christians, complaining to some extent thwarts our efforts to win more souls for God. Can you imagine teaching and preaching to people who know you to complain a lot about the very things you are preaching about? If we say God cares about us, while our actions portray something else. Aren’t we contradicting ourselves? Just figure out how disconnected and void our preaching will be? Without us showing to the world how good and perfect God is through the lives we live, we will always cripple the Church’s efforts to win more souls. This we can only show to the world, if we are grateful to God even in the most difficult periods of our lives.
Well, have you ever taught about how God views murmuring? Does God hate it? The people of Israel were known for their constant murmuring through Moses to God. The people of Israel like us murmured a lot when God was sending them to the promise Land. They complained about how their enemies were going to overcome and kill them, about water and about the manna God gave them to eat. They complained for almost everything God was providentially providing them. God did hate and still hates murmuring. In Numbers 16,the Bible records how Korah,Dathan,Abiram and their folks murmured against God and how God punished all those who murmured against Him. They perished for murmuring against God and Moses.
Job in His times of trials complained bitterly against God (Job 32) by posing several questions trying to proof to God that he was righteous before Him and therefore, he did not deserve sufferings he was going through. God rebuked him. God asked Job some overwhelming questions (Job 38) which he could not answer and He had to humble himself before God. Let’s not be in a similar situation when God is testing us. In trials and temptation, let’s us be on our guard and put on the full armor of God (Eph. 6:12-16) and rejoice in those situations
In Philippians 2: 12-14,Paul in writing to the Church at Philippi, encouraged them to work out for their salvation with great care and trembling, He told them not to complain about the very things they are supposed to do because in doing those things, they would be faultless and pure children of God. Paul made a remarkable point when He said if they behave as he told them without complaining they would have been different from their untoward generation. The line of difference Paul was drawing between the Christians and the unbelievers was they not being the habit of complaining. Do we see that if we complain often, it does not make us to stand out from among the people we live with? How will our neighbors, schoolmates, colleague workers and friends see us if we are complaining often than they do? Do they see us shinning the light Christ ordered us to (Matt. 5:13-16)?
Murmuring is a sin. Murmuring about people do not let us to see the good they do. When we become habitual murmurers, God is not always glorified through our lives. In this century, it is normal to murmur, however, as Christians, we have to glorify God and we must endeavor to hate what God hates. God hates murmuring and as His Children, we must not be in the habit of murmuring every time. We can stop it if only we will learn; to stay positive and try to be appreciative of the things people do, solve problems in the Church and our societies anytime we realize they exist and take appropriate steps to seek readdress when we feel our rights are being curtailed. God bless you!
Written by :
Denis Mbey Akola
Murmuring is a thing of normality in our day and time and it is easy to see people complaining about the things happening around the globe. People can complain and say all manner of things when things aren’t going on well. Some complains are legitimate especially in situations where people are denied their rights. However, it is worth noting that complaining about the unpleasant things does not solve any problem.
It is even sad to know that God’s elect are the most people into this act. In the church, the members often times complain about their leaders. When the Church is not evangelizing very well, the members go to their homes and anytime they hear a false teachings broadcast in the radio or television, they complain and blame the leaders in their congregation for why they don’t evangelize or preach better. It seems much easier to complain than solve problems. Isn’t it? We can complain about everything going on in the Church, without ever thinking about how we as individuals and collectively as God’s people can joint hands to solve the problems we have identified. Everyone likes to complain and blame others in one way or the other for the unpleasant things happening in or around our lives. Sometimes, we even complain about the sinful things people do, without taking an action to help these people out of their sins. Complaining has derailed the need for Christian love. Isn’t it?
When we murmur often, it becomes our habit and we will never see the good other people do and get to appreciate them. Even towards God, we will fail to be grateful to Him when murmuring becomes our habit. If we constantly complain, we can never be grateful to God.
As Christians, complaining to some extent thwarts our efforts to win more souls for God. Can you imagine teaching and preaching to people who know you to complain a lot about the very things you are preaching about? If we say God cares about us, while our actions portray something else. Aren’t we contradicting ourselves? Just figure out how disconnected and void our preaching will be? Without us showing to the world how good and perfect God is through the lives we live, we will always cripple the Church’s efforts to win more souls. This we can only show to the world, if we are grateful to God even in the most difficult periods of our lives.
Well, have you ever taught about how God views murmuring? Does God hate it? The people of Israel were known for their constant murmuring through Moses to God. The people of Israel like us murmured a lot when God was sending them to the promise Land. They complained about how their enemies were going to overcome and kill them, about water and about the manna God gave them to eat. They complained for almost everything God was providentially providing them. God did hate and still hates murmuring. In Numbers 16,the Bible records how Korah,Dathan,Abiram and their folks murmured against God and how God punished all those who murmured against Him. They perished for murmuring against God and Moses.
Job in His times of trials complained bitterly against God (Job 32) by posing several questions trying to proof to God that he was righteous before Him and therefore, he did not deserve sufferings he was going through. God rebuked him. God asked Job some overwhelming questions (Job 38) which he could not answer and He had to humble himself before God. Let’s not be in a similar situation when God is testing us. In trials and temptation, let’s us be on our guard and put on the full armor of God (Eph. 6:12-16) and rejoice in those situations
In Philippians 2: 12-14,Paul in writing to the Church at Philippi, encouraged them to work out for their salvation with great care and trembling, He told them not to complain about the very things they are supposed to do because in doing those things, they would be faultless and pure children of God. Paul made a remarkable point when He said if they behave as he told them without complaining they would have been different from their untoward generation. The line of difference Paul was drawing between the Christians and the unbelievers was they not being the habit of complaining. Do we see that if we complain often, it does not make us to stand out from among the people we live with? How will our neighbors, schoolmates, colleague workers and friends see us if we are complaining often than they do? Do they see us shinning the light Christ ordered us to (Matt. 5:13-16)?
Murmuring is a sin. Murmuring about people do not let us to see the good they do. When we become habitual murmurers, God is not always glorified through our lives. In this century, it is normal to murmur, however, as Christians, we have to glorify God and we must endeavor to hate what God hates. God hates murmuring and as His Children, we must not be in the habit of murmuring every time. We can stop it if only we will learn; to stay positive and try to be appreciative of the things people do, solve problems in the Church and our societies anytime we realize they exist and take appropriate steps to seek readdress when we feel our rights are being curtailed. God bless you!
Written by :
Denis Mbey Akola
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