28 Days of Gratitude: Day 13
Scripture of the Day: “How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites.” (Numbers 14:27 NIV)
These are the words of God Himself. He was fed up with the Israelites doubting Him and grumbling against Him. The latest meltdown the Lord was responding to was caused by the leaders of the tribes of Israel.
Here’s what happened.
The Israelites had been supernaturally freed from Egyptian slavery and were preparing to cross over into their Promised Land, Canaan. 12 spies were appointed by Moses to scope out the land in advance. Sadly, all the leaders on the advance team, except Joshua and Caleb, were too afraid to take a leap of faith and enter the land God promised to give them as a possession.
The giants intimidated the leadership, and they returned from their 40-day Promised Land tour with bad news. After those in authority expressed their lack of confidence in Israel’s ability to overcome their enemies, this sent the entire Israelite camp into hysterics. They grumbled and complained against God and tried to stage a revolt against Moses and Aaron, and go back to Egypt under new leadership. It was a complete disaster.
The Israelites’ complaints were born out of fear, unbelief, and small-mindedness. They lacked faith in God to give them the victory despite all the signs and wonders He had already performed for Israel.
We all know what it feels like to be consumed by fear, doubt, and lack of confidence when faced with a challenge that seems too great for us to handle. The question is, how do you react in these moments? Aside from second-guessing your own ability, do you complain? Try to weasel out of it? Grumble about it? Sink into depression? Forget that God has empowered you?
Do you ever thank God for the opportunity, and trust Him to give you the strength, wisdom, and confidence to overcome, and get the victory?
SHOW SOME APPRECIATION
In verse 11, God asked, “How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them?”
I think this is one of the saddest passages I have ever read in Scripture. God was angered by the treatment He was receiving in spite of everything He had done in their midst. Israel was not reading about the miraculous works of God in scrolls, but they were living through these miracles, witnessing them, and benefiting from them!
Wouldn’t it have been wonderful for them to show some appreciation for how God had previously rescued them and for the new way He was trying to bless them? If they had just complied with God and approached the moment with faith and gratitude, the Lord would have stripped the enemy of this abundant, rich, fertile land, and given it to His chosen ones.
But the Israelites who doubted missed out, and they never got to inherit the promise. So then, not only does complaining and lacking gratitude spoil your connection with God, it also stops you from receiving the blessings He wants to give you. You exclude yourself from enjoying the abundant harvest He has stored up for you.
The next time your flesh feels intimidated by an opportunity God brings into your life (And we’re only considering the ones we know without a doubt are from Him, because everything presented to you isn’t for you), make a conscious choice to be grateful for it. Instead of complaining and panicking, choose instead to show some appreciation. God loves blessing the grateful!
TOO LATE
After God got angry with Israel, He destroyed the leaders that had given the bad report, and He excluded the rebellious complainers from the blessing.
Suddenly, the grumblers had a change of heart. Numbers 14:40 says, early the next morning, they said, “Now we are ready to go up to the land the Lord promised. Surely we have sinned!”
Unfortunately for them, it was too late. Moses said in verse 42, “Do not go up, because the Lord is not with you. You will be defeated by your enemies.”
This verse is in the running for the second saddest passage in the Bible. These folks were ready for the promise, but it was too late. They had missed their window of opportunity. The moment to possess the blessing passed them by because of their faithlessness and ingratitude.
Don’t be like Israel and miss your moment to be blessed because you didn’t feel ready to receive what God had for you. While it is true that every blessing comes with a giant, and every opportunity comes with an obstacle, instead of fearing the giant, start praising the giant-slayer for choosing you and giving you the victory.
Doubt and ingratitude excludes you, but faith and gratitude increases you. The more faith-filled and grateful you are, the more you will receive from God.
JOURNAL ASSIGNMENT
In your journal today, write down:
One thing you are currently facing that may feel intimidating, but you are grateful for it anyway.
One thing in hindsight that felt intimidating, but you are grateful that you trusted God anyway, because it turned out great.
Something you have been complaining about lately, and at least one reason you are grateful for it.
One thing God has done for you today.
Something difficult God brought you through for which you are thankful.
Now, let’s pray.
God, it is my heart’s desire to be more grateful. Sometimes, I get so focused on my inadequacy that I forget to acknowledge and express gratitude for Your sufficiency. Going forward, please help me trust You in a greater way. I never want doubt, fear, and ingratitude to rob me of the harvest of blessings You have in store for me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you desire prayer, please allow me, along with my intercessory prayer team, to stand in faith with you for breakthrough. We would be so honored. We have seen God work over and over again. There is power in agreement. Click here to request prayer now.
As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift, encourage, and empower you!
What Is the 28 Days of Gratitude Series Based On?
This gratitude series is based on 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT, which says, “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
In my time spent with the Lord, He dealt with me about how we have a tendency to focus on our issues, problems, challenges, and difficulties, but we are not necessarily intentional about focusing on His goodness. Failing to meditate on His works forces us into a cycle of complaining and blinds us to the amazing ways He reveals Himself on a daily basis. In all circumstances, let us be more grateful.
What do I need to participate?
To participate in this series, you will need a notebook and a journal, because it requires writing some things down. In whatever journal you choose—and it doesn’t need to be anything fancy—daily, you will write down the Scripture of the day.
The featured verse will highlight a complaint from the Bible to help you see that, throughout history, others have struggled just as you do. Yet, God desires that we be grateful. In your journal, I would ask that you write the verse you see featured on the Daily Cup blog each morning, then jot down 5 things for which you are grateful.
5 is the number of grace, so you will be focusing on the grace of God and how His mercy has been evident in your life, even during rough times. At the end of each post, 5 suggested thing to write about are listed.
