Too Little, Too Late

Early the next morning they set out for the highest point

in the hill country, saying,

'Now we are ready to go up to the land the LORD promised.

Surely we have sinned!'"

Numbers 14:40

The land promised to them by God was filled with good things; grapes larger than they could ever imagine, luscious pomegranates, scrumptious figs.  All in all, it was just as God had said:  It was a land flowing with milk and honey.  

Unfortunately, it was also a land occupied by imposing giants, powerful tribes of threatening people and fortified cities.  In light of the bad news, the Israelites chose to ignore the good news and forget the power of the Almighty, His constant presence and faithful deliverance.  They chose to grumble against Moses and Aaron, blaming them for leading them to this place where they would surely die.  (Numbers 13-14)

The Israelites saw the error of their ways and attempted to go to this land promised to them by their faithful God.  They decided it would be better for them to obey later rather than never.  God, however, had already struck down the men who had come back with the bad report and declared that the rest of the unfaithful, wicked community would never set foot in the promised land. (Numbers 14:36-38)  Their show of faith was too little and came too late.

How often I do the same.  I know God wants me to trust Him, yet the cares of this world get in the way.  How can I avoid stubbornly taking advantage of God's grace by refusing to accept the good He has for me now, even if that good seems to be wrapped up in a package of suffering, hard times and difficulty?

Stop Complaining

Murphy's Law is a 20th Century saying that states simply, "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong."  This pessimistic point-of-view often frequented my lips as I navigated life with little faith and a worldly mindset.  As I grew closer to God, however, He showed me that my focus on the negative was a form of complaining.  I completely missed all the good because I concentrated so much on the bad.

It is easy to get caught up in a cycle of grumbling.  I live in a fallen world that is filled with difficulties and hard times.  When I choose to see only the negative, however, I am completely missing all the good that God has placed all around me.

I fall sick and I wonder if I'll ever catch a break, thinking only about the work I'll miss or the ministries I'll let down in my absence.  Meanwhile, I'm missing the point that God is forcing me to slow down and take some time to rest from my hectic schedule.  Instead of rejoicing in the fact that I have a Father who looks out for my welfare, I whine and moan about my so-called bad luck.

Other times I may struggle with paying the bills, feeling sorry for myself that I work so hard but can barely eke out a living.  Meanwhile, I'm missing the faith-building opportunity to trust my Father who knows my needs and provides in ways that reveals His power and sovereignty.  (Matthew 6:32-33)  Instead of praising God for His good provision, I object to living in a constant state of strain.

Then there are the times I seem to be living in a perpetual state of grieving as I lose one loved one after another.  I wonder what God has against me that He would take so many away at once.  Meanwhile, I'm missing the chance to experience the comfort only the Father of compassion can give as I rest in His loving arms.  (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)  Instead of soaking in His grace and mercy so that I can later use it to comfort others who are suffering, I complain about my bad state of affairs.

True faith sees the good that comes from God mixed in with all the bad.

Stop Assuming

She had never seen things happen this way.  The angel told her she would bear a child, but she had never been with a man.  It would have been easy for Mary to doubt the angel Gabriel's message based on her past experience and knowledge of how things usually work.  Instead, she believed the Word sent straight from God and trusted that everything would happen as the angel had said it would.  (Luke 1:26-38)

I often jump to conclusions, assuming if something seems impossible, then it won't happen.  If the doctor says there is no hope, I tend to agree with him, forgetting that I worship a God of the impossible.  (Matthew 6:26)  

If I watch my child travel down a road headed away from the Lord, I may think he's never coming back, forgetting that I worship a God who specializes in changing hearts.  (Ezekiel 36:26)  

If I lose my dream job, it's hard for me to imagine there could be anything better, forgetting that I worship a God who holds the blueprint of my life in His hands.  (Jeremiah 29:11-14)

True faith sees a way where there seems to be none.

Stop Fearing

She lived in a constant state of fear, worrying about the safety of her children, fretting over the darkness of this world, refusing to submit to God's calling to use her in a way that took her out of her comfort zone.  Fear paralyzed this woman to the point where God no longer ruled her life.

I live in a world with much to fear.  Terrorists seek to destroy freedom-loving people everywhere.  Killers hunt for their next victim.  Rapists stalk unsuspecting women.  Financial ruin threatens my sense of security.  If I'm not careful, fear can hamper my faith, rendering me useless in God's kingdom.

Instead, I can choose to believe that if God is for me, who could be against me? (Romans 8:31) Many could try to thwart my efforts, or steal my peace, or stand in my way, but God is bigger than all.  Even my Enemy whose mission is to steal, kill and destroy has no power against the One who created him out of nothing.  (John 10:10)

We were not created to live in fear.  (Romans 8:14-15)  Instead, we were made to walk with our Shepherd who loves us and will never let us come to ruin.  (Psalm 23, Psalm 55:22)  While Satan loves it when I am paralyzed by fear, God gave me a spirit of power, love and self-discipline to propel me through the darkness.  (2 Timothy 1:7)  I must choose to walk in this strength, however;  it does not come naturally to my weak and lowly flesh to turn away from the temptation to fear.

True faith sees only God's power and sovereignty in the midst of a world filled with frightening possibilities.

The Israelites were standing on the cusp of the Promised Land, so close to grabbing hold of the good things God had stored up for His people.  Instead, they chose to doubt, complaining and grumbling about the hardship of the path God had chosen for them.  When they finally did agree to comply, their feeble attempts to obey after the fact were too little, too late.  To avoid falling into this same trap, I must be careful to walk by faith, looking for the good mixed in with the bad, believing there is a way when circumstances seem impossible to navigate, and seeing only the hand of my mighty God in the midst of a dark and scary world.  In these ways, I will walk by faith not by sight, and please my Father who is always by my side.  

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to turn away from fear.

When do I make it a habit to live in a state of ingratitude by feeling sorry for myself?

How am I revealing my lack of faith by losing hope too soon? 

Jumping to Conclusions

"'Yes,' the man told him.

'They have moved on from here,

but I heard them say,

'Let's go on to Dothan.'

So Joseph followed his brothers to Dothan

and found them there.

When Joseph's brothers saw him coming,

they recognized him in the distance.

As he approached,

they made plans to kill him.

'Here comes the dreamer!' they said.

'Come on,

let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns.

We can tell our father,

A wild animal has eaten him.

Then we'll see what becomes of his dreams!'"

Genesis 37:17b-20 NLT

The brothers were consumed with jealous bitterness.  While it was true that their younger brother was a spoiled brat who could do no wrong in the eyes of their father, there was more to their hatred than simple resentment.  Because of this boy, none of them could have a close relationship with their father.  Each of them felt like a failure around this greatly admired man.  A son wants nothing more than the acceptance and love of their dad, but with Joseph around, their father seemed to only have eyes for the favored one.  They could never live up to the patriarch's high expectations, and that gaudy robe was only a painful reminder of this difficult truth.

Anger and hatred can stem from many sources.  Whatever the root, however, the result is the same: the hurt that turns to bitterness influences the way I think which, in turn, impacts my actions.  This may be one of the most powerful reasons why God commands His people to freely offer the gift of forgiveness. (Ephesians 4:32)

When I hold onto the pain wrought at the hand of another, I may assume they are my enemy.  When I see this person enter my life, I jump to the conclusion that they are here to inflict harm, thus withholding the love of God that is to freely flow through His people.  Instead, there may be another reason for the visit, but I'll never find out unless I give them a chance through the grace that God so liberally gives.

Eyes of God

As a people, we are rich.  I don't mean with money and stuff, although that is true for the most part.  What I am getting at is that we are abundantly blessed with a great inheritance from a gracious and extravagantly generous God.  He not only offers us a second (and third, and fourth, etc) chance when we fall for the lure of our sinful nature, but He lavishes us with His abundant love, He showers us with one blessing after another, and He cares about all the little things that trouble my heart.  We are rich indeed.

Most of the time, however, I go through life without realizing how rich is this legacy of faith that I've come into through Christ. (Ephesians 1:18)  Instead I see only the damage done by destructive hands, the injustice caused by greed and selfishness, or the difficulties that naturally occur as I live in a fallen world.  

If I am to be able to respond to the people God has placed around me in a loving way, it is vital that I use God's eyes through which to view the world.  When I look through my own sin-clouded lenses, I am unable to see the goodness of God.  If, however, I take on His perspective by offering myself as a living sacrifice and refusing to buy into the ways of this world, I will better be able to see things as He does.  (Romans 12:1-2)  Only then will I be able to see people as God has created them to be, loving them right where they are as I pass on the wealth of blessings God has given me.

If I want to love people as God calls me to, I will need to have the eyes of God.

Led by the Spirit

Playing "Follow the Leader" with a group of elementary-aged children is interesting.  While I would never normally walk like a duck or climb over a pile of sand, I just may do so when being led by a young child.

Likewise, letting my flesh lead me through life will mean that I will engage in all kinds of activities and behaviors that do not please God.  I may find myself lured into thoughts of lust, tempted to explore sexual pleasures readily available through any electronic device, convinced I am justified in my hostility toward a co-worker, deceived into thinking I'm striving so hard to reach the top for the good of others, or tell myself I'll only indulge in one drink.  (Galatians 5:19-21)

When I let God's Spirit lead me, however, I will find a different kind of fruit being produced.  Instead of my sinful nature winning out, then, I will notice a compassion for those who are hurting well up inside of me, a sense of well-being that is not dependent upon my circumstances flood my soul, a calm tranquility that cannot be explained build up in my heart and a desire to do good guide my actions. (Galatians 5:22-23)  Only then can I have any hope of treating people in a way that would honor God.

If I want to love people as God calls me to, I will need to be led by His Spirit.

Kingdom-Minded

My mind whirls like a high-powered computer as I lay sleepless beside my slumbering husband.  If I can save about $50 on groceries, I might have enough to pay the phone bill.  Then, there will only be a couple more expenses to cover this month.  Or, I might be able to scrimp on gas by staying home all week, skipping all my ministry activities so we could cover the water bill.  That's a great idea.  Maybe there's more I haven't thought of.  Ugh, why can't I go back to sleep?

A mind focused on meeting physical needs is a mind that worries at three o'clock in the morning.  Jesus taught us that only unbelievers should think this way because they don't have a benevolent Father to take care of them.  As children of God, though, those who follow Christ do enjoy this benefit.  Since my heavenly Father knows what I need and is perfectly willing and capable of supplying those requirements, I am free to focus my mind of His kingdom instead. (Matthew 6:31-33)  

In this way I will be able to concentrate on the ways God is working all around me and join in with what He is doing.  A mind focused on worldly worries, however, will never detect these activities and will only tend to what will not last.  My focus, then, determines the nature of my actions.

If I want to love people as God calls me to, I will need to be kingdom-minded.

It is easy to only treat people the way they treat me, or to let my feelings influence my actions.  If I am to truly let the love of God flow through me, though, I will need to take on His way of seeing those around me, let His Spirit lead me, and focus my mind of kingdom pursuits.  In these ways, I will not jump to conclusions, but will stand firm on the solid rock of my faith in Christ.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can let go of all the hurts that can lead to hatred and bitterness. 

How do I focus on my needs, acting like I don't have a Father in heaven who takes care of me?

When do I follow only my flesh, letting my feelings be my guide?