Is it Sinful to Complain?

The most patient characters in the Bible complained - but they did not depart from the commandments of God. Hannah, righteous mother of the great prophet Samuel, pleaded, "Out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken." And what was God's response? He heard her complaint, and gave her a son. Job, the epitome of patience, cried, "I will not refrain my mouth. I will speak in the anguish of my spirit. I will complain in the bitterness of my soul." And the psalmist wrote, "Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not Thyself from my supplication. Attend unto me, and hear me. I mourn in my complaint and make a noise."

The issue we must address here is, "are you complaining with the intent on obeying God", or, "are you complaining with the intent on having your own way"? The difference is great, and sets apart the righteous from the unrighteous. In other words, are you going to have enough patience in your situation to trust God?

"Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy" (James 5:10-11). Patience is calm determination to do the will of God regardless of the situation. Some will be surprised to learn that patience does not exclude complaint.

Those who habitually complain are condemned in the Scriptures as "complainers" (Jude 16); yet, those who complain to God in times of suffering are not numbered in that group. God's children are welcome to come to Him with their burdens. "Call upon Me in the day of trouble", He said, "I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." Asaph responded to God's invitation: "In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord. I remembered God, and was troubled. I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed."

No, my dear friend, complaining to God is not an indication of impatience. In fact, it is the right thing to do when trouble comes, for it demonstrates faith that God listens, cares, and is able to deliver. King David was not ashamed to complain to the Lord. "I will cry unto God most high," David declared, "unto God Who performeth all things for me. . . . Yea, in the shadow of Thy wings will I make my refuge until these calamities be overpast." We, too, may boldly come before the throne of His mercy with our heart's cry. He will not despise us, for he knows that we are frail and needy creatures.

Another important point we must understand in this hour of ungodly teachings and traditions is that impatience with, or making complaint to God about sin (and it's results) is not evil.. Some consider themselves impatient because wickedness irritates them; but Abraham's nephew, Lot, was daily irritated with the filthy conduct of the Sodomites (2Pet.2:8), and Lot was a righteous man. God Himself is "angry with the wicked every day" (Ps.7:11), yet, He is "the God of patience" (Rom.15:5). Hatred of sin is not impatience. Impatience is shown when one resorts to evil in order to accomplish a goal or to escape some discomfort, for it shows that one has lost faith that doing the will of God is sufficient. No matter how much Job suffered, for example, he was determined to obey the commandments of God. "My foot hath held His steps," he said, "His way have I kept, and not declined. Neither have I gone back from the commandment of His lips." (Job 23:11-12). This was the patience of Job. This was his righteousness.

"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you," wrote Peter, "as though some strange thing happened to you" (1Pet.4:12). God tries the faith of us all, without exception. Woe to those who depart from God's ways in order to escape their trial! Blessed are they who keep themselves pure when the heat of trials grows hot. In their patience they possess their souls. We should never doubt God's love toward us, even "if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations" (1Pet.1:6). No, my friend, "Despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked by Him. For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth" (Heb.12:5-6). A fiery trial may take the form of persecution for the faith; it may also come through an increase in earthly goods, which is the fiercest trial of all.

It is godly to embrace both the good and bad of this world as from God. One thing is sure: you will have a measure of both while a pilgrim on this earth. It is easy to be generous when one has the riches to play the part. But will that generosity wither in the hot sun of financial need? Or will humility be replaced with pride, if one increases in earthly wealth and prestige? Will a kindly disposition vanish, if one is falsely accused? What is it that this world has to offer that can cause you to surrender your patience in doing the will of God? God tries our hearts, that we may know ourselves; but we should always remember, He never tempts us to do evil. In our trials, God tempts us to do good. As James says, (1:13-14), "Let no man say when he is tempted [to do evil], `I am tempted by God', for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man [with evil]. But every man is tempted [with evil] when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed."

The saints are constantly reminded that "Something good is going to happen to you!", and that saying is true. But it is not the whole truth, for it is also true that something bad is going to happen to you. Here on this earth, both good and bad things happen to everybody. That is not even an issue. The issue is, are either the pleasant things or unpleasant things of this world able to lure you away from keeping the commandments of God?

Through covetousness and lust, many vainly teach that faith is tried only when difficulties come. Not only is that wrong, but that kind of thinking also blinds one to the fact that prosperity, not adversity, is the hardest trial. In Jesus's parable of the Sower and the Seed, he taught us that those who overcome adversity, afterwards may themselves be overcome by prosperity (Mt.13:1-9,18-23). Failing to see earthly pleasures as a trial, some actually believe that prosperity is a mark of righteousness! Consequently, prosperity has become a goal which these children of God pursue! There is nothing holy about either prosperity or poverty. Both are ordinary earthly conditions which believers must overcome in order to meet God in peace. The issue is not whether faith in Christ guarantees the believer a steady income. The issue is, will we maintain God's standard of holiness regardless of the state of our finances, or anything else for that matter. This is the only eternally important question.

Our final thought regarding whether complaining is permitted in the kingdom of God: complaining is permitted, but only if obedience to God, and to His will, is the desire of your heart. Many in the body of Christ complain that the place they are going is dead, that the Spirit is not moving, that the preacher is not on fire, etc., and rightly so. Their complaint is of God. But when the truth is told, will they obey it? We are telling every spirit-baptized child of God to COME OUT of their dead Christian congregation... because Jesus wants them out. However, do you love to "complain" more than you love to obey? Christianity allows no freedom for the child of God who wants to walk uprightly, and in the fullness of the holy Ghost. If you stay in your congregation in any of Christianity's denominations, you will die. Slowly in some places more than others - but death is imminent. Now the question is - will you obey God, or will you complain? God loves the complaint of the righteous which works patience and holiness. But He despises the complaint of the disobedient who will reject His way out of their misery when the answer comes.

We see that none of the difficult circumstances faced by the upright exhausted their patience, or their intent to obey God. Indeed, it worked in the opposite direction. The greater the suffering, the more brightly their faith shined. They all could have written the Scripture which Paul wrote to the saints, for they knew the power of the truth in Paul's exhortation, "Let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not."

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