Experiencing God's Presence #362

Experiencing God's Presence #362

Soon the people began to complain about their hardship, and the LORD heard everything they said.

Numbers 11:1

Hardships are . . . well, hard. We don’t particularly enjoy them, even when we know they are producing good fruit in us. We also worry in the midst of them because we don’t know how long they are going to last or how they will turn out. Sometimes we even question God’s wisdom in letting us suffer from them. They are uncomfortable, disorienting, and a little scary. And when we feel that kind of pressure, we tend to complain.

God doesn’t like complaining. He has a solution for each of the hardships we go through. He knows how they will turn out. He has promised to be with us in them and to cause all of them to work together for our good if we love and trust Him. So when we complain about our trials, we are stepping out of sync with God and the environment of heaven. We are declaring that He might not have a solution, might not know how they will turn out, or might let them turn out in a way that ultimately harms us. That’s a contradiction to His character, purposes, and ways. It’s a negative statement about who we think He is.

Needless to say, this is not an attitude that invites the Lord’s Presence. In Numbers 11, His anger “blazed against” the Israelites who complained about their hardships. He dealt with them harshly because they had harsh opinions about Him. He kept His promises to the nation as a whole, but He withdrew the favor that would have been theirs if they had endured in faith. His Presence itself became a hardship rather than a blessing.

Resolve not to complain. About anything. Ever. Trust God’s dealings in your life, even when they seem torturous or confusing. Know without a doubt that His plans for you, even when mysterious, are good.

Oh, Lord—forgive my complaints against You. All those times I’ve questioned Your goodness are a grief to me now. I choose to trust You always.