Beware of Murmuring

Laman and Lemuel murmured against their father. 

One reason Satan encourages murmuring is to prevent people from following living prophets, inspired leaders, and parents. Elder H. Ross Workman of the Seventy spoke about murmuring. He said that “murmuring consists of three steps, each leading to the next in a descending path to disobedience.”

 

First, when people murmur, they use their own judgment and begin to question the teachings of the living prophets. “They [question] first in their own minds and then [plant] questions in the minds of others.”

Second, those who murmur begin “to rationalize and excuse themselves from doing what they [have] been instructed to do. … Thus, they [make] an excuse for disobedience.

“The third step inevitably follows: slothfulness in following the commandment of the Master [see D&C 58:29]. …

“I invite you to focus on the commandment from living prophets that bothers you the most. Do you question whether the commandment is applicable to you? Do you find ready excuses why you cannot now comply with the commandment? Do you feel frustrated or irritated with those who remind you of the commandment? Are you slothful in keeping it? Beware of the deception of the adversary. Beware of murmuring” (“Beware of Murmuring,” Ensign, Nov. 2001, 85–86).