How to Stop Grumbling and Shine God’s Light in a Negative World - October 9, 2025
Devotional Verse: “Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world…” (Philippians 2:14-15, ESV).
When it comes to sin in our lives, sometimes we attempt to overlook or give excuses for our behavior if we feel like our actions are justified because of our circumstances. For example, when I am sleep deprived, my flesh thinks it perfectly acceptable for me to deal out a hefty dose of sarcasm to my seven-year-old who has asked me the same question twelve times before my morning coffee or to murmur under my breath that I can’t believe my husband left his glass of milk from the night before on the floor again and, of course, the toddler just dumped it all over the living room right on cue.
But those actions do not glorify God and are rooted in sin. If I am a child of God, His Spirit will bring conviction to my heart with His word because it is my heart that needs attention and change. When I’m tempted to complain, which we are all naturally prone to every single day, this passage from Philippians 2 comes to mind to bring truth to my heart:
“Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world…” (Philippians 2:14-15, ESV).
As God’s children, we are not to grumble. We must remember that, ultimately, grumbling is complaining against the sovereign God of the universe and saying He isn’t good, which is sinful. When we complain, we should repent, reset our minds by thinking about things above, rejoice, and thank God for His graciousness towards us. There are new mercies available to us every single morning. Perhaps it would be beneficial to create a daily list of things you are grateful for to help cultivate a heart of contentment and gratitude. Despite hardships and inconveniences in our lives and relationships, we are called to rejoice and find joy in Christ. It all comes down to the attitude and posture of our hearts.
How about your attitude when you disagree with someone, or they have offended you? When you disagree with someone, do you want to be right more than to pursue unity with that person? Do you allow a bad attitude to drag you into unnecessary arguments or even gossip to complain to someone else instead of going directly to the person you are annoyed or upset with? Disagreements are inevitable, but most of all, God cares about our attitude during differences and doesn’t want us to be swept up in foolish arguments constantly. We can disagree with others without being disagreeable or prideful.
If we are entangled in senseless disputing and complaining, the world will have trouble seeing the light of Christ in our lives. In verse 15 of Philippians 2, we see that the Lord wants Christ followers to shine bright in a culture full of darkness. Our lives will be a brilliant beacon of light in the darkness as we stand as God’s children against the world’s wickedness.
“…that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world…” (Philippians 2:15, ESV).
One way we can protect ourselves against complaining and empower our hearts to shine bright for Christ is to be diligent in clinging daily to the Word of life so that we can thrust it into a dark world. The Word of God helps us renew our minds so we can cultivate the fruit of the Spirit and stand out in the world, pointing others to the hope we know in Jesus. In addition to our daily time in the Word, we must abide in the Vine by communing with Him daily. We can call upon the name of the Lord to cry out for help when we are tempted to complain and grumble. He is our ever-present help in times of need and is faithful to strengthen us.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Oleg Breslavtsev
Related Resource: Soft Words for Hard Days: A Conversation with Aundi Kolber
Some days feel heavy. Some moments leave us wondering how to keep going. If you’ve ever longed for encouragement amid life’s hardest moments, I have a special episode of The Love Offering for you. This week, I’m joined by therapist and bestselling author Aundi Kolber to discuss her latest book, Take What You Need: Soft Words for Hard Days. This beautiful collection of quotes, scriptures, prayers, and gentle exercises is designed to be a balm for your most tender places—a reminder that you are never alone on your journey to healing.
In our conversation, we explore:
✨ How to hold space for yourself and others in difficult seasons
✨ The power of compassionate words when life feels overwhelming
✨ Practical ways to embrace healing and take one more step forward
If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe to The Love Offering on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
