GROANING AND GRUMBLING

You Can Groan, But You Can’t Grumble

The pilgrimage from here to eternity was never intended to be easy.

So naturally, we are inclined to grumble about our circumstances! Perhaps our grumbling is related to the fact that we are confused about the sequence of events: Rewards occur after we get to heaven! The present however, is the time for character training in preparation for eternity.

The comforting news is that amidst this time of testing and development, we have been given the enabling presence of the Holy Spirit:

And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.  (Romans 8:23)

And so… understandably, we groan.

But grumble? That is quite another matter!

When we grumble, we signify a basic discontent with our lot in life, and a challenge to God’s sovereign purposes. In effect we are saying that God has unfairly violated our rights by allowing us to experience difficult circumstances. We feel we deserve better than this!

In their trek across the desert en route to the Promised Land, the Jews responded similarly to adversity:

They grumbled.

From their perspective, there was never enough water and comfort, and the food was of the wrong variety! They felt they deserved better than this!

Citing their example, Paul admonishes us:

But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.  (1 Cor 10:5,9,10)

QUESTION: Amidst the trials of our life, are we groaning or grumbling? How we answer this question reflects whether or not we understand and accept the fact that this earthly sojourn is God’s time and means of making you Christlike in preparation for eternity.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. (Romans 8:28-30)

Pastor Woody