Grumble, Mumble.

"Do all things without grumbling..."  Philippians 2:14

I laughed when I read this last night because I've become a grumbler. I grumble to God about myself and who I am. I don't like who I am. So I grumble.  I don't like my boring life. So I grumble. 

Synonyms of Grumble: complain, grouse, whine, mutter, bleat, carp, cavil, protest, make a fuss...

God must just love it when I grumble.

There is lots in the Bible on this subject. Here are a few verses:

Jesus answered and said to them, "Do not grumble among yourselves.  John 6:43

But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, "Does this cause you to stumble?

John 6:61

The Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?"  Luke 5:30

Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.  1 Peter 4:9

Then Moses said to Aaron, "Say to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, 'Come near before the LORD, for He has heard your grumblings.'"  Exodus 16:9

“How long shall this wicked congregation grumble against me? I have heard the grumblings of the people of Israel, which they grumble against me.  Numbers 14:27

Obviously, grumbling is wrong. The opposite is giving praise to God, which is what Paul says to do continually, especially in prayer. I will ask God to work on me about this and when I feel like grumbling, I will try to praise instead.

A Marriage Proposal.

I was reading a book about the life of Agatha Christie. Her husband was an archaeologist. One thing stood out for me in their wonderful relationship was why he proposed marriage.

They had met on a dig in Iraq and he had been driving her around to see the sights. The car broke down in the heat of the day and it took hours to fix. As he worked on the car, Agatha lay down on the ground in the shade to wait. He said to her later that it was at that time he decided to marry her because she never complained or made a fuss but was accepting of the discomfort. He had never met a woman like her.

I thought about how upsetting it is when people complain to me. It is hard to listen to and disheartening to the spirit. It makes me feel sad and upset. I then realize how my complaining must pain people.

 I looked up quotes on complaining and found a lot of good ones. Here they are:

"It is no use to grumble and complain; It's just as cheap and easy to rejoice; When God sorts out the weather and then sends rain - Why, rain's my choice." James Whitcomb Riley

"I look upon life as a gift from God. I did nothing to earn it. Now that the time is coming to give it back, I have no right to complain." Joyce Cary

"Say and do something positive that will help the situation; it doesn't take any brains to complain." Robert A. Cook

"The future rewards those who press on. I don't have time to feel sorry for myself. I don't have time to complain. I'm going to press on." Barak Obama

"Complaining not only ruins everybody else's day, it ruins the complainer's day, too. The more we complain, the more unhappy we get." Dennis Prager

"When people complain of life, it is almost always because they have asked impossible things of it."
Ernest Renen

"I was raised by a lady that was crippled all her life but she did everything for me and she raised me. She washed our clothes, cooked our food, she did everything for us. I don't think I ever heard her complain a day in her life. She taught me responsibility towards my brother and sisters and the community." Ernest Gaines