Do you ever find yourself complaining? It seems that your natural nature just wants to complain no matter what. When blessings come you seem to act like this is the way things are supposed to be so you don’t even really acknowledge them. Then when bad things happen you start complaining and totally miss the blessings you could have.
Don’t worry you are not alone. I am right there along with you. It is so easy to look at others and wonder why they are complaining but then we turn around and do the same thing.
Recently I have been “trying” for the umpteenth time to read my Bible through. I have tried many times and have always got bogged down somewhere around Deuteronomy. In the last year, I heard of this idea of reading four chapters a day, one chapter in the Old Testament starting with Genesis, one chapter from Psalms, one chapter from Proverbs, and one chapter in the New Testament. I have appreciated the idea because it helps break up some of those harder to read areas. I was already in Numbers when I started the idea. So I have been reading a lot about the Children of Israel.
As I have been reading I keep thinking how stupid can they be. I mean God just brought them out of the land of Egypt, where they had been slaves for many a year. The miracles that God performed for them were amazing. But then the next trial came and all they could do is complain. “Why did you bring us out of slavery, to just kill us off?” What?! You have got to be kidding me. If God could bring them out of slavery couldn’t He feed them or provide water for them? I shake my head as I read but then I realize I am not any different. What is wrong with us? We keep going back to default, our natural sinful nature.
There was the time where some of the Children of Israel were complaining about the leadership. They felt they could do better. God had the earth open up and swallow up the rebellious group and the Children of Israel fled. But then the next day they came complaining that Moses had killed the people of the Lord. What?! As if Moses could open up the earth. What were they thinking?! God sent a plague and a big number died.
Then a few chapters later they are complaining again to Moses for bringing them out of Egypt because of lack of water and bread. The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people. When someone was bit they would die. A lot of people died. Then the people confessed that they had sinned and were begging to have the snakes taken away. God instructed Moses to make a fiery serpent and place it on a pole and if a person was bitten and they would look they would live. They had confessed their wrongs now they needed to look and live. It was simple but not all of them even looked to live. Did their complaining end there, no.
But are we really any different? Where has God brought us from? What slavery has He brought us out of? He has brought us “out of the house of bondage”(sin) but we complain. We want to go back to the place of “bondage” because we can do what we want. We have all the music, movies, games, clothes, entertainment, food, etc., that we want. There are no “restrictions”. But is that really true? We can do whatever we want but we are slaves to alcohol, drugs (legal or non-legal), depression, anger, overweight, etc. It does not really sound like happiness.
What we forget is what God has done for us. He brought us out of the bondage of sin but we keep looking back at the “fun” of sin. We keep forgetting about the “food” He has provided, His Word, to sustain us through the difficult times. We forget about the “water” that He has given so that we will not thirst again. We forget what the slavery was really like.
And the most amazing thing is that He came to this earth and was lifted up on a “pole”, the cross so that we can look and live. He took on the sins of the whole world and died so that we may live if we so choose. Why is it so hard to choose life over death? There is a devil that shows us “all the glories of this world” and we think we need to have them. But the reality is the things of this world only bring misery. I can speak from experience. Many may think that they are happy in their life of sin but in reality, they are not.
When I look at the Children of Israel I ask myself why did they keep going down this road? Why did they want to go back to slavery? Here are some ideas for us to look at and learn from.
- They forgot their past history. If we forget our past history and what the Lord has done for us we tend to want to go back to that life of “slavery”.
- They focused their eyes on the problem rather than the problem solver. They took their eyes off of God. We do that all the time as well. When problems arise instead of focusing on it we need to go to God with it. He can handle anything. He can take care of all problems. And He will do it in such a way that we will grow spiritually.
- They complained. They spent so much time complaining and we can do the same thing. We are supposed to be thankful in all things. It is hard to be thankful but if we really have faith and trust in God we can be thankful.
Yet despite all that they did God still loved them. It is beyond comprehension. He still wanted to save them. And He still wants to save us. What can we do to stay focused on the right things?
- Get a grateful journal. We need to write down all the things the Lord does for us. Every time He does something for us no matter how small we should be writing them down. When things get tough and we are having a hard time remembering, we need to get out our grateful journal and read it.
- Read God’s Word. We need to be reading God’s Word so that we can see how He worked in the lives of those in the Bible. We will find encouragement and comfort there.
- We need to focus our eyes on the Problem Solver. We need to go to God with our problems. Prayer is the key to open heaven’s floodgates. I love how one author puts it, “Keep your wants, your joys, your sorrows, your cares, and your fears before God. You cannot burden Him; you cannot weary Him. He who numbers the hairs of your head is not indifferent to the wants of His children. “The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.” James 5:11. His heart of love is touched by our sorrows and even by our utterances of them. Take to Him everything that perplexes the mind. Nothing is too great for Him to bear, for He holds up worlds, He rules over all the affairs of the universe. Nothing that in any way concerns our peace is too small for Him to notice. There is no chapter in our experience too dark for Him to read; there is no perplexity too difficult for Him to unravel. No calamity can befall the least of His children, no anxiety harass the soul, no joy cheer, no sincere prayer escape the lips, of which our heavenly Father is unobservant, or in which He takes no immediate interest. “He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3. The relations between God and each soul are as distinct and full as though there were not another soul upon the earth to share His watchcare, not another soul for whom He gave His beloved Son.” SC 101.
- When we are tempted to complain let’s be positive. We need to focus on the positive. This can be hard at times but we can re-train ourselves. We need to look at the cross and what Christ has done for us and we need to be grateful. He suffered greatly to bring us out of the slavery of sin. And no matter what we are going through we can look and live.
Dear Father,
We live in troublesome times. We need You more than ever. Thank You for the stories of the Bible that can help us keep all things in perspective. You are the One that can bring us through every difficulty. Continue to prompt our hearts to turn to You as easily as the flower turns to the sun.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
I am so grateful that each day can be a new day with a new start. Start new today. Make a commitment to stay fully connect to Jesus and keep your eyes on Him.
Love you all.
What story in the Bible has been an inspiration to you? What have you learned from the story?