Someone observed that we Christians often sing “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” with fervor on Sunday. But on Monday, we are quick to complain at the least test of our faith. In this respect, we are like the ancient people of Israel. We read this in Exodus 15. First, they celebrated the great victory God gave them in defeating the Egyptians. But three days later, they complained angrily about the bitter water they found at Mara. They rose up against Moses and demanded, “What are we going to drink?” Moses cried out to the Lord for help and the LORD showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and this made the water good to drink. But we also read there that the LORD set before them a decree to test their faithfulness to him. He promised to sustain their health if-if they listened carefully to His voice and did what was right in his sight, if they obeyed his commands and kept his decrees. Of course, we know they did not do this. Instead, they complained many times–about water, food, meat, and even refusing to enter the Promised Land. Ultimately, they died in the wilderness because they complained instead of trusting God. As it was for ancient Israel, so it can be for us. When complaining becomes a habit, we may encounter more grief than blessing.