Murmuring, or muttering complaints, may be actually objecting against the Lord and His plan of salvation, said Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the Council of the Twelve.
Speaking Sunday afternoon, Elder Maxwell noted that while murmuring seems to cross the whole scriptural spectrum of complaints, "the real addressee of some of our murmuring is clearly the Lord."Murmuring, he said, seems to come naturally to the natural man. "A basic cause of murmuring is that too many of us expect that life will flow smoothly, featuring an unbroken chain of green lights with empty parking places just in front of our destinations."
Elder Maxwell pointed to many accounts of scriptural murmuring, and added his observations:
- Cain in the Old Testament: "Sometimes we, too, worry if someone else seems more favored than we."
- Laman and Lemuel in the Book of Mormon: "Cutting truth does hurt, but its lancing can drain out pride."
- Detractors of the Savior in the New Testament: "We beggars are so concerned with our entitlements."
Modern-day leaders also have faced murmurers, said the apostle. "How handy inspired but imperfect leaders are as focal points for our frustrations, especially if circumstances require that they must suffer in silence! Having confidence in leaders who keep confidences is part of sustaining them."
Elder Maxwell said attributes of murmurers include:
- A lack of courage to express the concerns openly.
- An ability to provoke others to do the actual stone-throwing.
- A lack of consideration for the capacity of others to bear the murmurs.
- A short memory of past blessings. "Strange how those with the shortest memories have the longest list of demands," he observed.
"Perhaps when we murmur we are unconsciously complaining over not being able to cut a special deal with the Lord," he suggested. "We want full blessings but without full obedience to the laws upon which those blessings are predicated."
He warned that murmuring is contagious and "no one knows how to work a crowd better than the adversary."
"Instead of murmuring, being of good cheer is needed and it is equally contagious," he said. Good cheer comes of knowing that sins can be forgiven, and that Jesus has overcome the world, he added.
Legitimate concerns should find their way to legitimate channels because "even mild murmuring can be more pointed than we might care to admit."
"Murmuring about the weight of our crosses not only takes energy otherwise needed to carry them, but also might cause another to put down his cross altogether."
But "the heaviest load we feel is often from the weight of our . . . unrepentant sins which press down upon us."
"To whom shall we give our sins?" he asked with deep feeling. "Only Jesus is willing and able to take them."