Murmur and Complain

        There are some things in life where we have become especially skilled.  One of them is the ability to murmur.  The definition of murmuring is that of complaining or grumbling or even a low whisper.  We can all probably think of occasions where either we were murmuring or someone near us was murmuring.    We have also been the one to complain or even the one complained about.  In either case, it is easy to recognize the act of murmuring.  If you are doing something, no matter how big or small it is, someone will start to complain.  The murmuring will begin.  First Corinthians 10:10 says, "Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer."   
     Obviously, the act of murmuring is not something for which God is pleased.  We are admonished from God's Word to not be a murmurer, a complainer or one who grumbles.  It was recently brought out by a pastor that murmuring will ultimately be traced to God.  That is, every time we murmur, we are complaining about something God has done in our lives.  If we complain about the situation that we are in or we are complaining about some person who is doing something differently than we would, then we are complaining about our particular position in life in that day and in that time.  We are all conscious of the fact that God is with us all of the time.  He has said that He will never leave us nor forsake us.  We are also assured that God will direct our paths and that He is in control of each and every thing.  No matter how small or how great the situation, God is there and He is in control.  Therefore, to murmur against any detail, no matter how small or great, is to complain against God.  That became a startling fact to me.  You see, there are many different ways to murmur.  There are the obvious ones whereby we murmur with words.  We can even grumble or complain to others about how folks are treating us or we can tear down someone else by out words.  Then, there are the more subtle ways to murmur.  This is the rolling of the eyes, the inflection in our voices, the shrugging of the shoulders or whatever body movement we have adapted in order to display our negative feeling.  We have become good at murmuring.  We can sigh, whisper, move our heads, roll our eyes all at the right time in order to complain about what is going on.  God says, however, that we shouldn't be involved in this skilled craft but that we should get rid of it.  Murmuring wasn't appropriate in the days of the Old Testament, during the time of Christ, nor is it appropriate now.  After all, we have the promises of God in which to rely.  May we all learn how to praise God and His working  even better than our murmuring.   Praise Him for His working in our lives and may be as Paul was, content in each situation  in which we have been placed by God.