What to Do When You Feel Like Complaining

Lately, I have been catching myself complaining… a lot.

I could try to blame it on a busy schedule, lack of sleep, or simply my body’s struggle to ward off all the germs my little students bring to class. I mean, surely I have reason to complain! –But in the eyes of God, there is never a good reason to complain. Philippians 2:14 says,

“Do all things without murmurings and disputings”

I don’t know about you, but that seems pretty clear to me.

According to Strong’s concordance, the Greek word for murmurings means “a grumbling: grudging, murmuring.” It is the same word used to describe the “murmuring” among the Greek Christians of the early Jerusalem church in Acts 6:1 who felt their widows were being neglected in the distribution of provisions. It also appears in 1 Peter 4:9, which commands us to,

“Use hospitality one to another without grudging.”

Do you have a grudging heart? Perhaps you struggle more with disputing. The Greek word for disputings in Philippians 2:14 has the idea of debate that springs from doubt.

To me, that gets right down to the root of what complaining really is. When we complain, we are essentially voicing doubt: whether doubt that God is in control, or doubt that He is good in allowing whatever it is we are complaining about. Either God is God as the Bible describes Him, or He is not. When we complain, we are denying some part of His character.

To put it bluntly, complaining is accusing God of doing wrong.

And yet, if you’re at all like me, the tendency is to slip into complaining at the slightest inconvenience or annoyance. And some days, we just wake up feeling like grumbling. So what do we do?

Here are some things I have found helpful in my own battle against complaining:

1.     Pray.

As Jesus said, “Without Me, ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5) You need God’s help in order to conquer complaining. The first place to take any battle is to the throne room of God.

2.      Take a breath.

This may seem silly, but there’s something about stopping and taking a deep breath that helps reset our self-control. Try it—you’ll be amazed how much it helps!

3.     Be positive.

This is one of the most valuable lessons I have learned over my 13 years of teaching. Even if you have to say something negative, look for a positive to say along with it. We serve an unchanging, all-powerful, completely perfect God, so there is truly always something to be thankful for!

When tempted to complain, stop and ask yourself what truth about God best fits your situation. Is God still good when you have to spend a long-anticipated day off sick in bed? Say so! Is He aware of the skunk that ran under your car and sprayed it on your way to work? Does His good purpose of Romans 8:28 extend to the oatmeal that boils over in the microwave when you’re already running late? Say so!

Choose to praise God for what He is doing through your difficulties. A heart of humble praise is the surest way out of murmuring and disputing.

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” Ephesians 4:29