As I was reading in the book of Numbers yesterday, I was amazed (again) how the Israelites complained so much while on their way to the promised land. I couldn't help but wonder if we are guilty of the same complaints against God.
"And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, 'If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword? [...] Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?'" God brought the Israelites out of a horrible situation and promised them something better - a land that flowed with milk and honey. Yet they had no confidence that God would provide. They complained constantly about God's provisions - or in their minds, the lack of. Do we do the same? Do we complain about what we don't have instead of being thankful for what we do have? Has God ever brought us out of a difficult situation, and all we could do was complain about the outcome because it wasn’t exactly as we had hoped?
"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful" (Hebrews 10:23). Do we believe God is faithful regarding His promises? Or do we often waver in our hope?
"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it" (1 Corinthians 10:13). When we are tempted, do we complain to God that He hasn't done enough? Do we blame God when we fall to temptation, or do we acknowledge that we are tempted and drawn away by our own lusts (James 1:14)?
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). Do we truly believe our sins are forgiven, or do we fret and beat ourselves up even after we have confessed and repented? Do we have a difficult time forgiving others whom God has forgiven?
I don't want to be like the Israelites, doubting God’s faithfulness and complaining about His provisions, because this made God angry! God never lies, God’s promises never fail. Do we really believe this?
