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dear godDear God: Please hear our groans, even as you are working strong on our behalf despite what we see, think or feel.

Many of us are aware that the grumbling and complaints of the Israelites are what led to their delay in getting to the promised land.

But, did you realize that it was their groanings that got God’s attention when they were enslaved?

Yup.

Exodus 2:24

“God listened to their groanings.

God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.”

There’s something about a groan, which originates from DEEP inside that gets God’s attention.

Grumbling and complaining?

Not so much.

What is the difference between groaning and complaining?

While they may both associated with pain and or hardship, they are not the same.

Quite simply:

Complaining and grumbling are clearly understood and spoken.

Groaning is a unintelligible sound.

It is guttural.

It comes from a place so deep within that it defies comprehension.

And that’s why God steps in.

Because a groan comes from the BELLY and is heartfelt.

A groan is based on a life changing experience.

Groaning is associated with deep disappointment and pain.

Complaints and grumbling are based on our personal opinions.

Groaning – we have no control over. It is a reflexive action to trauma.

Any woman who has given birth knows what groaning is.

As painful as groaning is, the Bible speaks of the result.

Romans 8:26-28

“26-28 Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along.

If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans.

He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God.

That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.”

If we are sitting around complaining and grumbling about what God has not done in our lives, where will that get us?

Confused.

Just as the Nation of Israel was for 40 years in the wilderness.

So close to the promised land they could almost touch it.

But, when we groan out in pain under duress, it indicates surrender to God.

The more we have grown in our faith, the more we realize complaining just leaves us in circles.

So we groan, even while we are growing.

And trust God to manifest his promises to us.

Because despite what we feel or see, we know that it is impossible for him to lie.

Make sure to read:

Are You Groaning And Grumbling To Get Attention?  was originally published on elev8.com