When the people complained, the Lord was displeased, His anger burned…, Numbers 11:1. Just like the Israelites, we too are always bombarded with lots of opportunities to complain about our situations or the people around us.

Sad to note, that although the Lord answered their request for a change in food, yet subsequently, He was compelled to strike them with a disease for their sin, Psalm 106:15!

Later this spirit of complaint led to Miriam and Aaron speaking against Moses with regard to the Cushite woman that he married, Numbers 12. This brought the judgment of God directly against Miriam who was struck with leprosy for 7 days!

It was only because of the intercession of Moses, vs 11-13, that she was restored after that period of time. Thus, it is better to settle matters concerning God-appointed authority, (whom we think may have sinned in some way), privately and only after first having cleansed ourselves from the log in our own eyes, before attending to the speck in theirs!

Authorities placed by God are human and can make mistakes, and may need to be confronted and dealt with, but the way and the attitude with which we address such matters have to be strictly in line with the protocol laid down in God’s Word, so as to keep us from incurring God’s judgment unnecessarily.

When the issues of complaining and grumbling are not addressed and radically repented of, it hinders our access into the land of Canaan (spiritually speaking), viz a life of rest and peace and fruitfulness in God’s presence, just like it did the Israelites.

The spies brought back the report that the land was good, but the giants therein were too big to conquer, Numbers 13:27-29! No amount of coaxing by Caleb or Joshua was able to convince them of God’s power to help them overcome miraculously, if only they refused to fear and rebel, but rather to move forward with a spirit of faith in God, Numbers 14:2-10. However, inspite of repeatedly seeing God’s miraculous signs in Egypt and in the wilderness during this period, they simply refused to believe, vs 22,23!

So, God’s verdict rang clear through Moses, saying that except for Joshua and Caleb, all who disbelieved and rebelled would die in the wilderness during the next 40 years of their journey therein!

Thus, we can clearly see that complaining against people or situations or leaders will keep us from entering into the abundant life that God has intented for us to enter into through Christ Jesus!

Let us be diligent and honest enough to root out every spirit of complaint against our situations, leaders or the everyday folk we come in touch with, for as we do so faithfully, we will have clarity of vision to be the blessing that God has intended us to be to all of them, and so, bring about the necessary changes all around us in a God-led and God-honouring way.

Rowena Thomas
Mumbai, India.