How To Complain

THE PEOPLE BEGAN COMPLAINING OUT LOUD TO THE LORD ABOUT THEIR TROUBLES. WHEN THE LORD HEARD THEM, HE BECAME ANGRY, and fire from the LORD began to burn among them. Numbers 11.1

You and I may wonder what was wrong with the Israelites complaining about their troubles? After all, they were in trouble. Weren’t they complaining to the Lord? Why then did the Lord become very angry and burn some of them to death? Can’t we make legitimate complaints to the Lord, especially when we are in trouble? I was rather puzzled about it, until I read this passage from some other Bible Versions. Here is one: “The people were as murmurers, speaking evil in the ears of Jehovah”(ASV).

It is good for us to learn from this passage “how to complain or not to complain to the Lord when we are in trouble!” Troubles, we will have in this life. Remember, Jesus told us so. It is our common experience. Hence, we need to know how to make our complaints to the Lord wisely. If we like the Israelites do it foolishly, it will bring destruction on us rather than deliverance!

What was wrong with the complaint of these people? Listen to their boast about the food they ate as slaves in Egypt, in the hearing of the LORD! “If only we had meat to eat! Remember all the free fish we ate in Egypt and the cucumbers, watermelons, leeks, onions, and garlic we had? But now we've lost our appetite! Everywhere we look there's nothing but manna!" (vs 4-6). Worse still, did you hear what they said about the manna God gave? The manna was from heaven, the food of the angels which the Lord sent each day to their camp! Is it any wonder that the Lord was burning with anger and destroyed many?

How then are you to complain to the Lord about your troubles so that He will consider your trouble and deliver you? In the same passage, you find their godly leader Moses too taking his complaint to the Lord because of the people. The murmuring crowd was about to kill him for bringing them into the desert from Egypt. Listen to him carefully. “LORD, why have you brought me this trouble? How have I displeased you that you put the burden of all these people on me? Am I their mother? Did I give birth to them? Are you really asking me to carry them in my arms - as a nurse carries a baby - all the way to the land you promised their ancestors with an oath? Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep crying for me to give them meat to eat. I can't take care of all these people by myself. This is too much work for me! If this is how you're going to treat me, why don't you just kill me? I can't face this trouble anymore” (vs 11-15).

Dear believer, do you notice the difference between Moses and the grumblers? Moses told the Lord the truth! As they say, “The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth!” There was no false accusation of the Lord. His complaint was long and grievous. But there was no lie or even exaggeration like that of the people. The Lord understands your plight and pain. He will tolerate your cry of distress and disappointment. Tell Him as it is. Don’t accuse Him of injustice or fault!

The apostle Paul has taught us clearly how to make our complaints or petitions to God. He wrote, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (Phil 4.6). Learn to do it!

Pray and practise with me: Dear Lord, I am in trouble. You know all about it. But for my own comfort let me tell it to You. Listen to me in mercy and compassion and deliver me. Amen.