Murmuring and complaining may feel like a way to let out frustration, but the truth is, they do not really change anything. Complaining does not fix the problem. It does not make our faith stronger. It does not give God glory. Most of the time, it only keeps our minds stuck on what hurts, what went wrong, and what feels unfair.
God does not want us to get trapped there. His Word teaches us to do all things without complaining or arguing. That does not mean life will never hurt. It does not mean we pretend everything is okay when it is not. It means we make a choice not to let our pain become our permanent place.
There comes a time when we have to make up our minds to obey God’s Word. We cannot live halfway in faith and halfway in complaint. We cannot say we trust God while constantly rehearsing fear, disappointment, and anger. At some point, we have to say, “Lord, I choose Your Word over my feelings. I choose faith over fear. I choose obedience over murmuring.”
When my eldest son passed away, the Lord gave me a word: do not get stuck in grief. That word became an anchor for my soul. It did not take away the pain, but it gave me something stronger to hold on to. I had to decide that grief could visit, but it could not become my home.
If I had chosen to murmur and complain every day, saying over and over, “This is not fair,” I believe I would still be stuck in that same place today. But I had to stand on what God said. I had to believe that He had given me authority in the Spirit to overcome grief. I had to trust that even in death, God could still be glorified.
That does not mean I did not cry. It does not mean I did not miss him. It does not mean the pain was not real. It simply means I could not let pain rule my life. Every day, I had to choose to stay in the Spirit. I had to let the peace of God rule in my heart. I had to remind myself that God’s grace was still enough and that Jon was at home with the Lord.
This is why murmuring and complaining are so dangerous. They may start as words, but over time they can become a way of thinking. They can make us replay the hurt instead of receiving God’s grace. They can keep our eyes on what happened to us instead of what God is doing in us.
Complaining keeps us looking backward, but faith helps us move forward. Complaining says, “I cannot get past this.” Faith says, “With God’s help, I will keep going.” Complaining magnifies the pain. Faith magnifies God.
This is about spiritual lessons that can help others keep moving forward in faith, no matter what happens. Our lives become testimonies when we choose God’s Word in hard times. People need to see that God’s grace is real, His peace is possible, and faith can still stand even when life hurts.
The areas where God gives you strength are often the areas where He has placed a special calling on your life. When you overcome something through faith, you gain wisdom, strength, and grace that can help someone else. Your victory is not just for you. Your obedience can show someone else the way forward.
So instead of murmuring, choose to stand. Instead of complaining, choose to trust. Instead of getting stuck, choose to obey God’s Word and keep moving forward in faith. God’s grace is greater than the grief, greater than the disappointment, and greater than the thing that tried to stop you.
Minister A Francine Green, September 2026