Friday Fight 237: Grumbling or Growing?

Every Friday, when I wake and pray, God places something on my heart to help fight darkness beginning in our minds. Today is FF237.

From what I can gather, it seems that many of us are currently going through a challenging season. It could be family difficulties, health problems, stress at work, or a painful realization that’s only now becoming clear. Many of us are suffering in an area that is not by our own doing. Is this struggle defining us because it consumes our thoughts, or have we forgotten what God asks of us when we walk through troubling times?

We all endure seasons we have no control over, yet the situations and circumstances are still painfully real. The truth is, as Christians, we should expect suffering; however, the question remains: how should we respond to it?

Grumbling or Growing?

I was listening to one of our pastors last week and was reminded about the importance of patience in a struggling season. Without it, we subject ourselves to resentment and bitterness, which will quickly harden our hearts. Impatience in one area of life can spill over into other areas, typically more significant ones. Without acknowledging and addressing our own impatience, we can inadvertently direct it toward our relationship with God, which we don’t want.

So how does this work? Our instant-gratification-centric world is not helpful in revealing our lack of patience; we are surrounded by people who are constantly in a rush. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit is a gentle guide and will graciously reveal areas in us that we need to surrender to God, such as impatience with Him and others, or repetitive and ongoing grumbling.

So, is there a “grumbling quiz” that reveals our level of patience in these seasons of suffering? In a way, yes. We can evaluate our level of patience by observing how much we grumble at one another and focus on the negative. However, if we shift our mindset from complaining to others and instead bring our groans to God—through prayer and repentance—our relationship with Him will not be contaminated. Instead of grumbling, we grow in His grace.

In James, it says, “Blessed is the one who perseveres over time.” James 1:12. Do you persevere in your suffering? When we find ourselves in a season of suffering, it’s easy to lose sight of what God is shaping within us. Patience isn’t just about waiting quietly; it’s about trusting deeply. Each moment of discomfort becomes an invitation to lean closer to the One who never leaves us. Instead of letting our frustration turn into a complaint, we can let it become a prayer of surrender —a reminder that even in silence, God is still at work.

So, when suffering presses in and patience feels out of reach, remember this: God is not finished with you yet. The trial you face today is the tool He’s using to strengthen your faith. James 1:4 tells us, “Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything”. Don’t rush the process; let God refine you through it. Every moment of endurance is building a maturity that can’t be shaken.

Pray and ask God to help you wait patiently, without grumbling. Ask God to teach you to see struggles not as punishments, but as opportunities for growth and development. When your heart grows weary, continue to pray and ask God to remind you that His work is not yet done.

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In His Grace,

Pastor Shannon

River Church