Do all things without grumbling. ( Philippians 2:14 14 Do all things without murmurings and questionings: )

One of the effects of my speaking nine times to pastors recently was conviction for my sin of grumbling. What happened was this. I spoke on the things that I love most. I spoke about the great and glorious God of Christian Hedonism —

• The God who “works for those who wait for him” ( Isaiah 64:4 4 For from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen a God besides thee, who worketh for him that waiteth for him. );
• The God who “withholds no good thing from those who walk uprightly” ( Psalms 84:11 11 For Jehovah God is a sun and a shield: Jehovah will give grace and glory; No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. );
• The God who “pursues us with goodness and mercy all our days” ( Psalms 23:6 6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness shall follow me all the days of my life; And I shall dwell in the house of Jehovah for ever. Psalm 24 A Psalm of David. )
• The God who “works all things together for the good of those who love him” ( Romans 8:28 28 And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, `even' to them that are called according to `his' purpose. );
• The God who “did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, and so will surely give us all things with him” ( Romans 8:32 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things? );
• The God “through whom we can do all things” ( Philippians 4:13 13 I can do all things in him that strengtheneth me. );
• The God “who supplies all our needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” ( Philippians 4:19 19 And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. );
• The God who “will help us, and strengthen us and hold us up by the right hand of his righteousness” ( Isaiah 41:10 10 Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God; I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. );
• The God who “will never leave us or forsake us, so that we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper. I will not be afraid; what can man do to me’” ( Hebrews 13:5 5 Be ye free from the love of money; content with such things as ye have: for himself hath said, I will in no wise fail thee, neither will I in any wise forsake thee. –6);
• The God who “will complete in me the work he began” ( Philippians 1:6 6 being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ: );
• The God “in whose presence is fullness of joy and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore” ( Psalms 16:11 11 Thou wilt show me the path of life: In thy presence is fulness of joy; In thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalm 17 A Prayer of David. );

When I heard these things coming out of my mouth, I was deeply convicted that my heart had grumbled in these recent months.

Paul said, “Do all things without grumbling.” Grumbling is an evidence of little faith in the gracious providence of God in all the affairs of our lives. And little faith is a dishonor to him. It belittles his sovereignty and wisdom and goodness.

Do I believe these things? If my faith is strong, I will not grumble.

Pray for me, that I would be glad in the Lord and receive willingly from his hand all he designs for my holiness. Then, as Paul says in the next verse, I can be “a light in the world.”

Grumbling only adds to the darkness because it obscures the light of God’s gracious, all-controlling providence.