We cannot have a body of saints this size in this world without having that body contain a significant number of complaints.
Every complaint has two components. The first is the objective aspect, the offense, or irritation, or annoyance. Sometimes this problem is not truly objective – it is possible to believe someone has sinned against you when they have not – but the objective aspect of the complaint at least makes this assertion. The problem is “out there.” And the Bible does speak of things which cause offense.
The second aspect of a complaint is the subjective desire to complain. This attitude is prohibited to Christians – we are told to do all things without murmuring or disputing, so that we may shine like lights in the midst of a perverse generation.
The complaints may vary. They may be against your neighbor, against your spouse, against the weather, against your children, against the church, against the elders, but ultimately every complaint that has that whining edge to it is directed against God.
We are preparing to ascend into the heavenly courts. We are going to worship God. We are going to lift up our hands to him. You may bring your objective complaints with you; indeed He requires it. But you do so in order to cast all your anxieties on Him, the one who cares for you. But the mumbling, the murmuring, the complaining, the critical spirit, the nagging, the whining – you need to be warned before we go into His throne room. God hates that kind of attitude. So get that expression off your face. Get that expression off your heart. Look at your hands. Are they clutching at your right to grumble? Put it down, confess your sin. Do not be foolish. We are going now to worship God.