Complaining in the Bible: How to Go to God Over Others

When I am in a difficult situation, I often find myself complaining to others. I think that it’s helpful to share these grievances with others… but the opposite is true. 

Not only do I disobey God—as complaining in the Bible is discouraged—but it leaves me to feel more negative, not receiving the comfort or relief I want. It gives the enemy a foothold, making me feel even worse and more hopeless than before… like nothing will ever get better. 

It’s clear why complaining to others is bad for us. But what can we do instead with our complaints? We can go to God. 

God wants to hear all your complaints. He wants to give you the peace, relief and comfort you desire. You can only find that in him. He knows things are hard; he wants you to go to him so he can help you in this time and, instead of complaining, be confident in who he is.

What Does the Bible Say About Complaining?

Complaining to others is something that God doesn’t want us to do, no matter how difficult of a situation we are in or how impossible it may feel to us. But we can choose to not do this by changing our mindset to understand why we should not do it. 

Paul warns against grumbling in the Bible when writing to the Philippians. They were dealing with a difficult situation and Paul was trying to help them by encouraging them to live for Jesus well, following his example. He instructed them to not complain about anything, because they needed to show others Christ. 

“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, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.” (Philippians 2:14-16, ESV)

This is a “God hates complaining” scripture. We are children of God and how we act shows others him. 

Complaining as others do in the world doesn’t show others Christ. It is, instead, one of the dangers of complaining in the Bible that you wouldn’t be a light for Jesus as he desires. 

We need to represent Christ well. Be a light by fixating on the Bible. Instead of complaining to others about what you are going through, go to God. He wants to hear it all. He wants to help you and comfort you. Remember this “do not complain” Bible verse to help you to go to God. 

Is Complaining a Sin?

There are many examples of complaining in the Bible that show why complaining is a sin.

You can find some of these examples when the Israelites were in the wilderness and complained to each other about God. As a result of their being at odds with him, he was angry and showed it in his actions toward them. This is in such places as Exodus 16:6-12, Numbers 14:27-30, and Numbers 21:4-5. 

It is good for us to read this, because it helps us remember that instead of complaining to others in our hard situation we should choose to be thankful and remember we can go to God with our problems. He wants to hear it all and help us. 

Complaining is a sin. Whether or not it is directed towards God, it is a sin because he wants us to love our neighbors well and be thankful at all times.

Complaining in the Bible: How to Go to God Over Others

Maybe you want to stop grumbling about your difficult situation to others and try complaining to God… but you need to know what this looks like. The book of Psalms can help be your guide. 

Psalms is a prayer book and provides examples of how you can pray to God by expressing your sorrow to him. These Psalms of complaint—also known as lament Psalms—can allow you to pour out your heart to God in this difficult time, helping you feel met by him so you don’t have to feel a need to grumble to others. 

Below you will find 3 Psalms where you will find verse(s) showing you how you can do this to come to a place of assurance in God. God wants to hear it all from you. Go to him. 

Psalm 3

An example of grumbling in the Bible can be found in Psalm 3. Psalm 3 is an excellent Psalm to examine: it’s a prayer for hard times, as you can see David was going through one. Things didn’t look good for him, as his enemies wanted to bring him harm. 

Maybe you are feeling the same in your situation—that things just seem impossible and people want to harm you. David’s words can help you pour out your complaints during this difficult time and come to a place of feeling met and having complete assurance and trust in God. 

You can see right away at the beginning of Psalm 3: David goes to God with his situation by expressing himself honestly in his feeling like God is not helping him. 

“O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; many are saying of my soul, ‘There is no salvation for him in God…’” (Psalm 3:1-2, ESV) 

You can also do this in your difficult times. Go to God in prayer by telling him the details, expressing your complaints in it all. 

David’s foes didn’t think that God could help him, and he shares this as well, but he knows God can do it. He knows God hears him and will answer. 

“I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill…” (Psalm 3:4, ESV) 

You also can read how he knows God will come through for him. You can follow the model of this prayer, pouring out all your complaints to God and then sharing the truth of what he can do for you during this time. 

Look to this prayer for help in your difficult situation; live well for God and feel met, knowing he will pull you through this time. 

You can do it without complaining to others but with confidence in God when you pray like this. You can be self-assured in God, as Jesus was when he went to the cross. He will fight this battle for you. 

Psalm 4

In your suffering, maybe you aren’t sleeping. The words in Psalm 4 are good to pray as this will allow you to give all the worries over to God that are leading you to complain and lose sleep. 

David in Psalm 4 speaks graciously of God, putting his full confidence in him in his difficult situation, so he can sleep in tranquility. 

“Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!” (Psalm 4:1, ESV) 

David calls on God to listen to his prayer as well asking him to help him in his time of need to get relief. You can call on God for relief and peaceful sleep as well, so you don’t complain to others. 

You then read David complaining about how long he has been in agony, which was for a while. But you also see that he knows God will help him. 

“O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? Selah But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.” (Psalm 4:2-3, ESV) 

This is another Psalm where you can see complaining in the Bible, and it demonstrates how you can express it to God. You can also see how to speak the truth so you will find peace to sleep. 

Sleep in tranquility tonight by giving all your complaints to God and then speaking the truth of what he can do for you in this hard time, remembering what he did for you in the past.

Psalm 86

Psalm 86 is another example for when you are finding yourself complaining in your difficult situation, because people are against you or you need help. 

Even though David needed help, he still had belief in God’s character and ability to help him. David asks God to listen to him by answering him through giving him assistance in his time of need. 

He says he is “poor and needy” but also “godly” and “trusts” in God. 

“Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day. Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace. In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me.” (Psalm 86:1-7, ESV) 

Call out to God. Tell him the state you are in. Pour out the complaints in great detail, pleading your case. Express your deepest feelings and pains to him. Don’t let the complaints continue but remember who he is.

It is so hard not to complain to others when you are going through a hard time but it’s clear from examples of complaining in the Bible that it is against God’s will. What does the Bible say about grumbling? The Bible says God doesn’t want us to do it with others because we are acting like the world—not showing others who he is. 

Is complaining a sin in the Bible? The story of the Israelites reminds us it is a sin and that we should choose thankfulness instead, showing others Christ. We can learn to go to God and complain to him instead of others. 

The book of Psalms can help you learn to go to God to find the peace, help, comfort and relief you need and want, knowing who he is. You can find 3 examples to start with here. God wants to hear it all. Choose to go to him instead of others.