The Book of Complaints: A Reflection on Gratitude and Worship

Jan 8
4 min read

**What does the habit of complaining do to the soul?**

I recently learned about an intriguing cultural eccentricity in Portugal: the ubiquitous Book of Complaints. In every store, café, bank, hospital, doctor’s office—anywhere you go—there’s a special book where you can formally register your dissatisfaction. Not just a suggestion box or a passing word to the manager, but a government-mandated book dedicated to grievances.

It doesn’t stop there. Turn on the news, and you’ll notice that nearly every interview, whether with a public figure or someone on the street, seems to begin with a complaint. It’s as if airing grievances is the national pastime. While it might feel therapeutic to vent, I couldn’t help but wonder what this habit of complaining does to the soul. What impact does it have on a person’s outlook on life, their expectations, and ultimately, their relationship with God?

A Biblical Perspective on Complaining

Psalm 95:7-9 TPT

“Today, when I speak,

don’t even think about turning a deaf ear to me

like they did when they tested me at Meribah and Massah,

the place where they argued with me, their Creator.

Your ancestors challenged me over and over with their complaining,

even though I had convinced them of my power and love.

They still doubted my care for them."

Psalm 95 gives us profound insight into the spiritual consequences of complaining. The psalmist calls us to listen to God’s voice, reminding us of Israel’s history as God’s chosen people. Despite being miraculously delivered from slavery and invited to enter a promised land, their story is marred by constant complaints. They are remembered, tragically, as “wicked wanderers” who tested God, argued with Him, and doubted His power and love.

Complaining, as Psalm 95 reveals, is not just an annoying habit—it grieves God. Over forty years, Israel’s complaints reflected hearts that were hardened and resistant to His ways. Their grumbling was a way of testing God’s patience, doubting His provision, and ultimately saying “no” to His plans.

When we complain, we do much the same. We challenge God’s goodness, question His sovereignty, and withhold our gratitude and worship. Complaining shuts the door to God’s rest and peace. In Psalm 95:11, God says of the Israelites, “They shall never enter my rest.” What a sobering reminder that our grumbling can cost us the experience of God’s kingdom here and now.

The Cost of Complaining

Psalms 95:11 TPT

"So I made a vow in my anger and declared,

‘They will not enter the resting place I’ve planned for them!’

So don’t you ever be hard-hearted or stubborn like they were!”

When we focus on what’s wrong, we rob ourselves of what’s right. Complaining forfeits joy, peace, and contentment—the very blessings God desires for us. As I reflected on this, I was reminded of Sarah Ban Breathnach’s (Simple Abundance p.7) concept of “six graces,” which weave together a tapestry of abundant living: gratitude, simplicity, order, harmony, beauty, and joy.

What happens when we neglect these graces? We’re left with their opposites—what I’ll call the “ungraces”:

Gratitude becomes ingratitude or entitlement.
Simplicity is replaced by complexity and confusion.
Order devolves into chaos and contradiction.
Harmony gives way to instability and strife.
Beauty is overshadowed by bleakness and desecration.
Joy succumbs to melancholy, apathy, anger, and selfishness.

These “ungraces” reflect a heart out of tune with God’s purposes, a life weighed down by negativity.

Turning Complaints into Praise

'Everyone come meet his face with a thankful heart.' v.2 — '**Everyone come meet his face with a thankful heart.' v.2**

Psalm 95 doesn’t just warn us against complaining; it calls us to something far greater. It invites us to approach God with thanksgiving and shouts of joy. It reminds us of who He is: the Creator, King, and Shepherd of our souls. He is the God who made the depths of the earth and the peaks of the mountains, the sea and the dry land. We are His people, the sheep of His pasture, and He is worthy of our praise.

In light of this truth, complaining feels not just out of place, but unthinkable. Gratitude becomes the natural response to God’s goodness and majesty. Worship replaces grumbling, and joy takes the place of discontent.

A Challenge for Today

What if we declared today an uncomplaining day? What if, instead of dwelling on what’s wrong, we chose to celebrate what’s right? Let us drop our list of grievances and pick up a heart of praise. Let us marvel at the God who holds the universe in His hands and still cares for each of us personally.

Complaining may come naturally, but gratitude transforms us. As we listen to God’s voice and respond with thanksgiving, we enter His rest—a rest filled with wonder, peace, and joy.

So today, and every day after, let’s trade the Book of Complaints for the Book of Praise. Let’s shout for joy to the Lord, the Rock of our salvation, and never look back.