EXODUS 16:8: Also Moses said, “This shall be seen when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the
evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the Lord hears your murmurings which you make
against Him. And what are we? Your murmurings are not against us but against the Lord.”
Certain expressions in the English language raise doubts in our minds, such as: “Your check is in the
mail,” from a debtor; “This shouldn’t cost much,” from your mechanic; or “This won’t hurt,” from your
dentist.
Another such expression we often hear is, “I hate to complain.” How often have you heard someone
say, “I hate to complain, but . . .” and then launch into a lengthy tale of how, in some fashion, you’ve
fallen short of his expectations?
Moses and Aaron heard it a lot. At least on three occasions (at Marah, Ex. 15:24; in the Wilderness of
Sin, Ex. 16:2; and at Rephidim, Ex. 17:3), the people complained about the hardships encountered on
their journey. In fact, at Rephidim, Moses told God, “The people are ready to stone me!” (17:4).
The truth is, most of us don’t mind complaining at all. Yet we need to remember that when we
complain, ultimately the person we’re finding fault with is God. He is sovereign, so everything that
comes into our lives must first meet His approval.
When we complain, we are telling God, “You’ve made a mistake. You shouldn’t have allowed this to
happen to me.” But God is too wise to make a mistake and too loving to permit unnecessary
heartache.
When you are next tempted to complain, remember that you have a sovereign God who loves you. All
that you experience is to shape and mold you into the best person you can be. Instead of
complaining, be happy that God cares enough about you even to allow you hardship under His
watchful eye.
ULTIMATELY, ALL OUR COMPLAINTS ARE DIRECTED AGAINST GOD