In 1 Cor 10, we have a historical overview of the journey of the children of Israel in the wilderness. We read of very blatant sins such as idolatry and sexual immorality, but in the middle of that chapter comes a verse which tends to prick most of us: ‘And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.’ (1 Cor 10:10)
Ouch! Finding that grumbling is listed up there with idolatry and sexual immorality brings me up short. The word often translated ‘grumble’ means to murmur or mutter with discontent. God’s people constantly grumbled against Moses (see Ex 15:24, Ex 16:2, Ex 17:3, Num 14:2, Num 16:41, to name but a few examples!) This discontented grumbling resulted in the people dying in the desert, failing to enter into the Promised Land because of their unbelief. Paul goes on to say, ‘These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!’ (1 Cor 10:11-12)
Grumbling easily becomes a default setting, a mindset that leads to mutterings and complaining. The antidote to grumbling is cultivating a grateful, thankful heart. Instead of focussing on the things which displease us, we choose to focus on the ways God blesses us and pours out gifts lavishly on us. Instead of looking for people’s faults and majoring on these, we choose to look for the good things they do and the virtues they possess and ponder these. Giving up grumbling is enormously liberating. It makes you feel good and everyone else does too!