 |
|
COMPLAINING &
A PROVOKED SPIRIT
Are you a complainer?
Would you be considered a part of
"the mixt multitude" in your
household?
Are you in authority - like Moses - and
have to put up with other people's grumbling and whining all day
long?
How do you handle it?
How should you handle it as directed by
the Scriptures?
Numbers 11:11 & 14 say -
"And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherewith hast
Thou afflicted Thy servant? and wherewith have I not found favour in
Thy sight, that Thou layest the burden of all this people upon
me?...I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too
heavy for me."
These are the words of a man of God who is stressed out to the max
with the ministry that God had given him. The Lord called Moses to
lead His people out of Egypt into the Promised Land. He never made
it because of his own disobedience. Nonetheless, he was called by
the Almighty One for the task.
Psalm 106:32-33 says of him - "They
angered him(God) also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill
with Moses for their sakes. Because they provoked his spirit, so
that he spake unadvisedly with his lips."
In Numbers 11, we are beginning to see that he is
becoming very irritated with the people of God. He begins to
question the goodness of God in his life and the character of God -
Why are You afflicting me?
Why am I losing favor with You?
I must be counted as Your enemy
because You laid this heavy burden of all these rebels on me.
Can't you see that I am not able
to bear this burden of leading these people alone?
It's too great a task for me,
Lord.
Perhaps, if Moses would have gotten the Victory
in his soul here, he wouldn't have been so provoked by these people
later on when he disobeyed God in smiting the rock rather than
speaking to it.
There are many lessons within this entire passage from which we can
glean many helpful Truths. Let's look at it a little closer.
Numbers 11:1-3 begins with these words -
"And when the people complained, it
displeased the LORD..."
We see from this passage of Scripture that
God hates our complaining.
How do we know this?
The Scripture goes on to say -
"...and the LORD heard it; and His anger was kindled; and the fire
of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them..."
The children of Israel complained. God's anger was kindled insomuch
that He consumed people with His fire. In other words, He killed
some people.(I wonder how many of us would complain - like we are
prone to - if we knew that God would kill us for doing so.)
He may not kill us today,
but we still reap His wrath and severe chastening for doing so. We
must get the picture from this Scripture that God hates
complaining.
What is usually the cause of our complaining?
Numbers 11:4-9 goes on to say - "
And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the
children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us
flesh to eat? We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt
freely..."
"...the mixt multitude"
- who are they?
They are the ones who are one moment in the flesh; the other, in the
Spirit.
They "fell a lusting..."
In other words, they yielded to the intense craving of their flesh
instead of practicing self-control and keeping their bodies under
the authority of God's Word.
Lust will do it each time. We get to looking around at what others
have or what others are doing, and we become discontented with the
blessings all around our own house. The spirit of lust and
covetousness robs us. We can never really appreciate God's wonderful
blessings to us because they never seem good enough compared to
so-and-so.
Numbers 11:10-15 continues with these words -
"Then Moses heard the people weep
throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and
the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also was
displeased...."
Our complaining doesn't just affect our
souls, but it affects those around us - especially those who are in
authority over us.
As wives, we can complain that our
husbands never do enough or make enough money.
As Christians, we can complain
that our preacher preaches too long or doesn't visit the people
enough.
As employees, we can complain that
our bosses don't pay us enough or expect too many demands.
As children, we can complain that
our parents are too strict or too demanding and won't let us do as
the other kids at school.
The list goes on and on. The point is - our complaining affects
other people besides bringing God's displeasure on our own lives.
(We understand that there are legitimate times to have a complaint.
These are times when we must take them to the Lord in prayer. He is
able to change anyone and any circumstance that is unjust, cruel, or
unkind.)
The question is - Was Moses justified before
God for his complaints?
He was letting these people get under his skin, so to speak. He was
beginning to lose perspective here. The rebellion of these people
was really getting to him.
He should have realized that these
are God's people; therefore, he should leave them with Him.
Just rest in the Lord, Moses!
Don't sweat it! Stay focused!
God has everything under control!
Why allow your spirit to be
agitated by someone else's behavior?
Are you a complainer?
Would you be considered a part of
"the mixt multitude" in your household?
Are you in authority - like Moses - and have to put up with
other people's grumbling and whining all day long?
How do you handle it?
How should you handle it as directed by the Scriptures?
We must remember at all times that
"Where God guides, He provides."
For every task, there is
sufficient grace for the undertaking.
Let's learn all that we can from these Scriptures so
that we won't be provoked in our spirits like Moses was and end up
disobeying God.
May God Bless His Word.
Connie
| © COPYRIGHT Connie Giordano - All Rights Reserved
