Exodus 15:22-27 Believe And Don't Complain

"Life is a pilgrimage during which we must learn new lessons and fight new battles.  One great victory doesn't settle everything; we need new challenges, new experiences that will help us mature and glorify God," my commentary began.  "Uppermost in the minds of the Israelites wasn't how to please God but 'What shall we eat?' and 'What shall we drink?'

According to Jesus, these questions reveal an anxious heart, not a trusting heart, and this can lead to all kinds of problems.

"But God was testing His people, not because He didn't know their hearts, but because they didn't know their own hearts.  The Lord tests us to encourage spiritual growth and bring out the best in us, but the devil tempts us to bring out the worst in us and to encourage spiritual immaturity ... To tempt God means to deliberately adopt a disobedient posture and dare Him to do anything about it."

"God can solve our problems by changing things, by giving us something else, or by giving us the grace we need to bear with our difficulties and not complain.  The third approach is what produces lasting spiritual growth ... when we experience trials, our complaining is evidence of unbelief, but our obedience is evidence of faith."

Father, I ask that You help me to believe and not complain, that You grow me through my struggles, and that, every now and then, when You know it won't harm me, You change things to give me a break if You see I need it and can benefit from it and give You the glory for it.

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford