Overcoming A Complaining Spirit-Trusting God’s Promises

Series: Overcoming A Complaining Spirit

Sheriff Andy Taylor from the Andy Griffith Show was quickly in a bind after his son rambled up to the porch and introduced his new friend. George-or Tex as he preferred, was a runaway from a neighboring town, and Opie didn’t want his Pa to report him. Though he initially promised not to, in time Andy was forced to perform his duty and call the young man’s parents. Opie initially complained but eventually understood his father’s decision.

God’s people felt he had broken his promises to them and complained. Their voices rose in a great chorus of complaint against Moses and Aaron (Numbers 14:2 NLT). Though God sent plagues to persuade the Egyptian ruler to free them and provided manna, meat and water for them on their wilderness journey, they were tired of it and ached to enter the Promised Land. Now the scouts who surveyed their future home returned with rumors of giants and heavily fortified cities. Conquering the land appeared impossible. God apparently had broken his promise, so they complained.

Complaining is the easy way out when it appears God has been unfaithful to his promises. “Why am I struggling financially?” “Why do my relationships turn sour?” “Why is my child making poor choices?” “Why did I get laid off?” All questions that can lead to a complaining spirit when we fail to remember God’s promise that he loves us and will supply every need according to his timetable and our best interest. Heaven’s perspective is often radically different than ours, but God will never break his promise to care for us regardless of how bleak the circumstances appear. Trusting God’s trustworthiness eliminates our need to complain.

Prayer: Sufficient Savior, when we’re tempted to grumble because it appears You’ve broken promises, enable us to rely on You instead.