He who complains of the weather, complains of the God who ordained the weather

COMPLAINING

The mind of man is a “factory of idols.” We are infested with lusts. Listen closely to any person given to complaining, and you will observe the creativity of our cravings.

David Powlison

Seeing With New Eyes, P&R Publishers, 2003, p.152.

Is it not lamentable that men will never thank God for the countless blessings He confers upon them, and then remember Him only to complain of the evils which they have brought upon themselves, and which are never half so great as their misconduct deserves?

John Broadus
Christian Joy.

An unthankful and complaining spirit is an abiding sin against God, and a cause of almost continual unhappiness; and yet how common such a spirit is. How prone we seem to be to forget the good that life knows, and remember and brood over its evil – to forget its joys, and think only of its sorrows – to forget thankfulness, and remember only to complain.

John Broadus
Christian Joy.

He who complains of the weather, complains of the God who ordained the weather!

William Law

Complaining about the weather seems to be a favorite American pastime. Sadly, we Christians often get caught up in this ungodly habit in our society. But when we complain about the weather, we are actually complaining against God who sent us our weather. We are, in fact, sinning against God (see Numbers 11:1).

Jerry Bridges

Human beings, being what they are, somehow feel entitled to question the reasons for everything that happens to them. In many instances life itself becomes a continual criticism and dissection of one’s circumstances and acquaintances. We look for someone or something on which to pin the blame for our misfortunes. We are often quick to forget our blessings, slow to forget our misfortunes.

Phillip Keller

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, Permission by Zondervan, www.zondervan.com. 1970, p. 70.

As long as a man is alive and out of hell, he cannot have any cause to complain.

C.H. Spurgeon

Be careful, dear friends, that you do not misrepresent God yourselves. You who murmur; you who say that God deals hardly with you, you give God an ill character; when you look so melancholy, worldlings say, “The religion of Jesus is intolerable;” and so you stain the honor of God.

C.H. Spurgeon

A Jealous God, Sermon 502, March 29, 1863.

A heavy wagon was being dragged along a country lane by a team of oxen. The axles groaned and creaked terribly, when the oxen turning around thus addressed the wheels, “Hey there, why do you make so much noise? We bear all the labor, and we – not you – ought to cry out!” Those complain first in our churches who have the least to do. The gift of grumbling is largely dispensed among those who have no other talents, or who keep what they have wrapped up in a napkin.

C.H. Spurgeon

Murmuring is the rising up of oneself against God. It sets oneself against God as if I am wiser than He.

Thomas Watson

The godly do suffer and complain about it at times. But the Bible teaches plainly that their suffering, even after their conversion and reconciliation to God, is not punishment any longer, but chastening. It is not the punishment of a God who is angry with them, but the chastening of a God who is reconciled to them. Whom God loves, the Scriptures says, He chastens. He makes all things, including pain, “work together for good for them that love God, and are called according to His purpose.” That should be the consolation and strength of the saints… That affliction is actually a blessing in disguise. At other times, the pain hurts so much that they cannot, through the tears, see the disguise. Momentarily they lament the heavy hand of God upon them, but when they are thinking in their most saintly character, they praise God. His rod and staff comfort them.

John Gerstner

The Problem of Pleasure, Soli Deo Gloria, 2002, p. 12.

Christ was willing to suffer and be despised, and darest thou complain of anything?

Thomas a Kempis

We are apt to complain, but remember: God’s infinite plan ordered [these trials]... The reason we do not see the wisdom of [the trial] is partly because being creatures we cannot fathom the wisdom of the Creator, and as sinful creatures we are blind and prejudiced. It is also partly because we forget the purpose they ultimately aim toward, and measure them by our own standards. It is also partly through our own pride, because we have such a high opinion of our own wisdom, which is foolishness indeed.

Samuel Willard
The Decrees of God, 1690.

God calls us to put our complaining to death, and to put on thanksgiving and gratitude as our garment and cologne.

Jeff Hutchinson

Uncommon Belief, Tabletalk, Nov. 2004, p. 55, Used by Permission.

See here the evil of murmuring and complaining at our lot in the world. How apt are ye to quarrel with God, as if He were in the wrong when His dealings with you are not according to your own desires and wishes? You demand a reason, and call God to an account, Why am I thus? Why so much afflicted and distressed? Why so long afflicted? And why such an affliction rather than another? Why am I so poor and another so rich? Thus your hearts rise up against God. But you should remember that this is to defame the counsels of infinite wisdom, as if God had not ordered your affairs wisely enough in His eternal counsel.

Thomas Boston
Of the Decrees of God, Commentary on the Shorter Catechism.

When ye murmur and repine under cross and afflictive dispensations, this is a presuming to instruct God how to deal with you, and to reprove Him as if He were in the wrong. Yea, there is a kind of implicit blasphemy in it, as if you had more wisdom and justice to dispose of your lot, and to carve out your own portion in the world. This is upon the matter the language of such a disposition, Had I been on God’s counsel, I had ordered this matter better; things had not been with me as now they are. O presume not to correct the infinite wisdom of God, seeing He has decreed all things most wisely and judiciously.

Thomas Boston
Of the Decrees of God, Commentary on the Shorter Catechism.

A 12 Point Cure for Complaining:

1. God commands me never to complain (Phil. 2:14).

2. God commands me to give thanks in every circumstance (1 Thes. 5:18).

3. God commands me to rejoice always, and especially in times of trial (1 Thes. 5:16; Jas. 1:2).

4. I always deserve much worse than what I am suffering now, in fact, I deserve hell (Lam. 3:39; Lk. 13:2-3).

5. In light of the eternal happiness and glory that I will experience in heaven, this present trial is extremely brief and insignificant, even if it were to last a lifetime (Rom. 8:18; 2 Cor. 4:19).

6. My suffering is far less than that which Christ suffered, and He did not complain (1 Pet. 2:23).

7. To complain is to say God is not just (Gen. 18:25).

8. Faith and prayer exclude complaining (Psm. 34:4).

9. This difficulty is being used by God for my good and it is foolish for me to complain against it (Rom. 8:28).

10. Those more faithful than I have suffered far worse than I, and did so without complaint (Heb. 11:35-39).

11. Complaining denies that God's grace is entirely sufficient (2 Cor. 12:9).

12. The greatest suffering, the worst trial or difficulty, can never rob me of that which is of greatest value to me and my greatest joy, namely the love of Christ (Rom. 8:35-39).

Bill Izard

A 12 Point Cure for Complaining, Christian Communicators Worldwide, www.CCWtoday.org. Used by Permission.

If Christians spent as much time praying as grumbling, they would soon have nothing to grumble about.

Author Unknown