ENOUGH FOR TODAY
ENOUGH FOR TODAY
In the Old Testament we read about the Israelites complaining so many times! I want us to center our thoughts about when the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness. After leaving Egypt, about 75 days into their journey, they started complaining about what God was feeding them. Read Exodus chapter 16 and Numbers chapter 11. God had sent them heavenly food-manna. Numbers 11:8 reads “…its taste was like the taste of pastry prepared with oil.” Exodus 16:14 reads “…a small round substance, as fine as frost on the ground.” Numbers 11:8 reads “…its taste was like the taste of pastry prepared with oil.” They could fry it, boil it or make it into cakes. God even made it tasty! The Israelites got tired of the same thing every day, and started to complain. They wanted a variety of different foods like they had in Egypt in captivity. God gave them directions for each morning to only gather just enough for each person in their family, for each day “…according to each one’s need.” (Exodus 16:16) It was fresh every morning. They shouldn’t have any leftovers. If they had any leftovers, it stank and worms were in it. They had not taken just enough for their day, like God had told them to.
I started thinking about the many times I have complained about something happening in my life. I have had pneumonia. I have certainly complained about how I have felt! The doctor gave me two cortisone shots, a penicillin shot and oral antibiotics. I have complained about the pain in my back and the burning in my chest. But if I think about it, that pain, what I was complaining about, is partly how the doctor knew I had pneumonia.
Isn’t that also true when our lives are not going how we think they should go, and we start complaining. I sure have done my fair share of complaining through the years. If I could just keep my faith-my trust-my hope in God! I need to remember that He is right by my side helping me through each and every day. When we lost our home to foreclosure, I complained and tearfully pleaded with God that we would not lose our home. But my complaining and pleading did not change what happened. I have realized, looking back, that was not the best for or what I needed in my future. I should have stopped complaining and remembered that God has always taken care of me in the middle of all my storms in this life!
I have complained to God about some of the care I provided for my dad, who was living in my home. I have realized that complaining did not ever do anything to help a situation. It usually just caused me to be angry and full of the question why. I have tried to rest in the fact that, even though some days were extremely tough, God was helping me to make it through each day with what I needed. He provided the support for each particular day and each need. God was taking care of me, even when I wondered where God was in a situation.
The Bible has many references to the fact that we are not to complain. When we complain, it is actually about something that we are facing in the present. What if we, instead of complaining, we just remember that God has always been faithful to take care of what we have needed in the past, just like He did with the Israelites. God had just gotten them out of Egyptian captivity and here they were complaining the wanted something different on God’s menu! We need to rest in whatever we are complaining about and realize that God has a plan for our future. He may be working for our good in the middle of what we are complaining about. We need to realize God will take care of each days’ needs and whatever our future holds.
Hebrews 13:5 reads, “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
1 Peter 4:9 reads, “Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.”
Philippians 2:14 reads “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world…”
Jude verses 15-16 reads, “…ungodly sinners have spoken against Him. These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.” Is grumbling a sin? What do you think? God tells us to not complain.
Usually what we are complaining about, has caused us time out of our day and some type of sacrifice on our parts. We complain about what we have taken on ourselves or something that has happened because of our own actions. Give the things that cause you to want to complain, to God. Complaining doesn’t fix anything anyway. It actually causes other negative emotions and thoughts.
I had a brother-in-law, who always was complaining about something. I got to the point that I did not really want to be around him. Do I want people to feel that way about me? I am going to try to be better about not complaining so much. (I know those of you who have listened to my complaining are so happy to hear that!) We can talk to God about anything, even those things that we feel we need to complain about.
The Israelites did not realize that they had all they needed for each day, with the manna God had given them. God gives us each day all we need for whatever happens in that day. If something happens in a day that causes us to want to complain, realize that God took care of our needs in the past. He takes care of you each day. He takes care of you for your future!
Don’t bring on trouble for yourself by complaining about something in your day. Gods got this! Gods got you! He gives you enough of what you need each and every day!
Till next time!
Keela