Wanderers

Yesterday I shared my thoughts about having the mind of Christ and how important it is to our spiritual, emotional and even physical well being and the importance of having good thoughts.  I am reminded about Israel as they wandered in the wilderness for forty years.

Deuteronomy 8:2-3 -And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.  So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.

The Israelites didn't realize how good they had it while they wandered in the desert.  They didn't realize that their faith was being tested.  Instead of daily looking to God, all they could see was the negative and longed for the "good old days" of captivity in Egypt where they now believed they'd had all they needed despite being slaves.  They grumbled and complained because they couldn't see where they were headed and what lie in store for them. They murmured about having "just enough" each day.  So the LORD caused them to "keep on keeping on" their forty year journey in the wilderness (it should only have taken 3-4 days), just desiring one day they would not forget that He was supplying all their needs.  I had the thought:  if the journey was only to be 3-4 days, it didn't take them very long to start complaining....

Haven't we all complained at one time or another?  And didn't we eventually look back realizing we complained for nothing or that the protesting didn't do a bit of good, only brought upset to our spirits or bitterness to our hearts?  And aren't we sometimes prone to immediately start complaining when something isn't going our way, the way we think it should?

Sometimes God will bring trials into our lives in order to test us.  He wants to see if we will hold up against these difficulties, persevere, endure, and go through them willingly, without murmuring or complaining. Are we in God's will?  What is our heart attitude?  Do we have faith in Him?  If we remember that all God does for us is for our good, we have nothing to fear.  Trials build us up and strengthen us.  The longer we object, the longer He allows us to go through them, like Israel.  

We are to praise Him in the midst of a trial.  I believe praise helps us persevere.  Israel's faith was tested and look where it took them. Had their thoughts been on God's goodness, what miracles He had performed for them, they may not have wandered so long in the wilderness.  How long do you want to wander; how long do you want to be in your wilderness?  Let go of the negative thoughts and start taking each day as it comes and look for the positive in it.  Think on the goodness of God and what it is He is trying to do in your life. He wants to reveal His glory through you.

1Peter 4:12-14 - Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

Thank You, Father God, for testing us.  This is part of Your wonderful plan of working righteousness within us.  It is part of Your refining us.  I thank You, Lord, that You want us to become less of ourselves that You can become more.  Lord, whatever needs to be done to purify my heart, I ask that You do.  That's a scary thing to ask, because if it comes from a heart that truly wants to be more like You, You will act on it. I ask that when, not if, but when this happens I am reminded to praise You and not look at the circumstances but the outcome.  I only want to become so transparent that I am no longer seen, but that You are seen in me.  I thank You now for what You will do.  In Jesus' name I pray.  Amen.