Murmur,
Grumble, and Complain
“Murmur” is a half-suppressed or low-voiced complaint. “Grumble” is to mutter in self-centered
discontent.
“Complain” is to express selfish discontent.
Phil. 2:12-15 How are we to do all things (i.e., all the dictates of God’s will – vss.
5, 8, 13)?
When God (through His Word or a spiritual authority
over you teaching His Word accurately) tells you to do something that you
don’t like, do you rebel with discontented, undertoned expressions/words toward
what you’re told to do, and why?
If so, what will it
take to change this sinful attitude (e.g.,
Eph.
What are some
commands of God that a lot of Christians grumble at (e.g., Matt. 28:19, 20;
1 Thes.
1 Pet. 4:9 How
are we to be hospitable to one another?
Do you ever complain about having people over for lunch/dinner or their
spending the night in your home when they need lodging? Why?
Lk. 15:1, 2, 10; 5:27-32 What were the Pharisees and scribes grumbling about regarding
Christ (vs. 2)?
Have religious people
(including carnal Christians) ever
grumbled about your associating with non-Christians, even though your reason
for doing so was to evangelize them? If so, when?
[Jesus associated
with non-believers for the purpose of seeking and saving the spiritually lost,
Lk.
Jn. 6:40-43 What
were the Jews grumbling about (vs. 41)?
What
did Jesus tell them to do (vs. 43)?
Have people ever
grumbled about a spiritual truth, teaching, or statement that you made because
they didn’t believe it or like it?
If so, what was it?
Jn.
What
was Jesus’ response to this (vss. 61, 63)?
[“spirit” – the breath of God]. [“life” – eternal life-giving if believed].
Do you ever grumble
about anything that Jesus or God says in the Bible, such as in Lk. 14:26, 33; 1
Pet. 1:15; 2 Cor. 5:15?
If
so, why?
James 5:8, 9 What are Christians not to
do, and why?
[Christians are
to patiently tolerate the offenses done to them by other Christians.].
Do you generally let
offenses committed against you by other Christians pass by, or do you complain
when a Christian offends you, and why?
Examples:
Do you complain when a Christian friend/acquaintance
invites your friends over to do something or go some place, but doesn’t invite
you?
Or,
do you complain when a Christian friend/acquaintance buys your friends
something, but doesn’t for you?
Or,
gives a gift or a nicer gift to your friends than to you?
Or,
you do nice things for a Christian friend/acquaintance, but that person never
or rarely does anything nice for you?
Or,
do you complain about the food a Christian serves you because you expected more
or better food?
Or,
do you complain about not having a decent bed as a full-time missionary, or a
fancy car, or no car at all?
Or,
do you complain against a Christian when he/she doesn’t pay as much or any
attention to you as you wanted?
Instead of
complaining against another Christian because he/she didn’t treat you the way
you thought he/she should have, what should you do instead (vs. 8)? Will you?
Has God ever judged you because of your self-centeredness in complaining
against another Christian? If so, how?
Was
the landowner wrong in what he did (vss. 13-15), and why?
Do
you ever grumble because other people get the same recognition, reward, or compliments
as you, even though you worked longer or harder than they did, and why?
1 Cor.
What happened to those people because they grumbled, rebelled,
complained, and obstinately resisted authority (Num.
Do you ever grumble
against God’s spiritual leaders who He’s placed over you, and why?
[Unless the patience of the Lord is upon you, you
might receive a similar fate like those who were destroyed by the destroyer, if
you rebel against God’s spiritual leaders.].
Num. 11:1 What did the nation of
What was the Lord’s response?
Do you sigh
habitually (complain) in the hearing
of the Lord about anything (including
adversity/ hard times that come with doing the Lord’s will)? If so, what, and why?
Ex. 15:22-25 At
whom and why did the people grumble?
Do you ever grumble
at the spiritual leadership God puts over you when that leadership is following
God, yet the situation the leadership brings you into is not what you like? Why?
Ex. 16:1-3 At whom and why did the people grumble?
Do you ever grumble
about the kind of food God has provided you or the amount of it?
Or,
the people/leadership overseeing it, and why?
Do you ever complain
about the food you’re served at a Christian retreat, after a Bible study, or
for your birthday even though it’s free, and why?
Ex. 16:6-8 To grumble at the leadership God has placed over you is
really to grumble against whom (also see Num.
17:5, 10)?
If so, did you
realize that this is what you were doing when you grumbled at the spiritual
leaders God has put over you?
What will you do, now
that you know this, and why?
Ex. 17:1-3 What did the people grumble about again?
Like
Though
they quarreled with Moses, who were they really testing?
Num.
Do you ever grumble
about the assignments/tasks that God through His spiritual leaders gives to
you, even though they seem tremendously overwhelming for you, but for which God
has promised or enabled you to do through Him (like He promised to Israel in
13:2)?
Or, is your attitude
that of Joshua and Caleb’s (Num.
Num. 14:26-29, 36, 37 What does God think about complaining and grumbling, and
what did He do?
What affect does
knowing this have on your attitude toward grumbling and complaining, and why?
Deut.
1:25-27 Often times when people rebel against God or His spiritual
leaders and grumble against Him or them, what are these people’s thoughts as to
how God views or regards them (vs. 27)?
Do you ever grumble
against God or His spiritual leaders because you think He or they hate you and
are trying to get back at you for some reason, and why?
Might
Psa. 106:24, 25 be a reason you grumble against the Lord or His spiritual
leaders, as it was for the Israelites?
If
so, what will you do to change this?