JUNE 20, 2023
Deuteronomy 1;21, 26-27, 34-36
“See, the Lord your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged…
But you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the command of the Lord your God. You grumbled in your tents and said, “The Lord hates us; so he brought us out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us…
When the Lord heard what you said, he was angry and solemnly swore: “No one from this evil generation shall see the good land I swore to give your ancestors, except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land he set his feet on, because he followed the Lord wholeheartedly.”
Yesterday I suggested that it seems we’ve evolved into a culture of complaint, if you are anything like me, it can be very easy to let the world around us squeeze us into its mold. (Romans 12 JB Phillips)
Today’s passage reveals, in the story of Israel’s rescue out of Egypt, that grumbling and complaining not only have consequences, but it also reveals the heart of the complainer.
I suppose simply put, the complaining of the Israelites revealed hearts that lacked a trust in God. Let’s get to the backstory here, God had delivered them from slavery by miraculous signs and wonders, things they witnessed with their own eyes, including the parting of the Red Sea to escape the threat of the Egyptians. Despite witnessing this and the continued encouragement from Moses, they quickly and frequently fell into a place of ingratitude and lack of trust, the sad reality of our passage is that this cost them the privilege of seeing the Promised Land.
There are consequences in life, are there not? I sometimes wonder what “promised land” moments I have missed because in my heart I have lacked trust and confidence in God, and have been short on gratitude, and therefore spent far too much time complaining rather than praising.
We have much to learn. The condition of our heart influences our perception, and consistent complaining therefore reveals something about our spiritual condition.
Here’s a little assessment to measure your level of complaining. Rate on a scale of 1-10 (1 strongly disagree, 10 strongly agree) your responses to the following:
I usually share my problems with others.
I regularly express my negative feelings to others.
I focus more on the causes of problems than on their solutions.
If my life was made into a movie, I would characterize it as a drama instead of a love story, comedy, or inspirational tale.
I complain a lot.
What was your score?
Above 25, may mean we need to spend some time praying about our tendency to complain and ask God to reveal to us the source of our dissatisfaction.
REFLECT
Consider doing a "No Complaining Fast" for a day to help you determine how deeply seated your complaining might be.
LET US PRAY
God, I come to You, confessing that I tend to have a heart that is filled with whining and complaining instead of gratitude. Please forgive me. Help me learn to see Your hand at work in my life. I want to trust You even when I don’t understand my circumstances. Right now, I choose to praise You, Lord. AMEN
"Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness."
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