Courtney Gilmore Does Christianity seem boring, limited, and restrictive at times? Do we sometimes desire the variety & excitement that the world seems to offer? Do we romanticize our old life of sin, remembering it as freedom but discounting how badly it enslaved us? Why do we so quickly forget its costs? How do we miss all that God gives us so freely? When we do recognize it, why don’t we appreciate it?
“The mixed multitude (Egyptians) among them yielded to intense craving. So the children of Israel wept and said: ‘Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now our whole being is dried up. There is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!'”
Numbers 11:4-6
The Israelites listened to the Egyptians talking about all the different kinds of food they ate freely in Egypt & they grew discontent with the monotony of the manna that the Lord had provided them for the last 13 months. Somehow they had forgotten about the forced labor that provided them that “free” food. On the other hand, the food that God provided was truly free. Out of His grace, God sent them sweet bread from heaven every single morning. They did not have to work for it at all. No plowing, planting, watering, or harvesting. No sweating or breaking of the back. It was a gift from the Lord. Yet they didn’t appreciate it because they wanted variety & choices. They missed their old life.
Wait, what?! Their old life was one of slavery. They missed that? Of course not! They just momentarily forgot what that life was really like because they missed one single aspect of it. They had no freedom & their masters were abusive. They had begged God to free them from their oppression in Egypt. They hated it there! But because they were unhappy with their present circumstances, they weren’t thinking rationally. God had answered their prayers and freed them from slavery. They were only eating the manna while they were traveling in the desert towards the Promised Land, which was flowing with milk and honey. You see, they had lost their ability to objectively look at the past or hopefully look towards the future.
“The Lord said: ‘I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey.'”
Exodus 3:7-8
Do you ever think back to your life before you became a Christian & miss one small aspect but forget the rest of the horrible things that came with it? Or do you ever get discontent with your present circumstances and lose your ability to look objectively at the past or hopefully towards your future? The Bible says to be content with what you have because chasing after things that won’t last is a trap. The treasures and pleasures of this world will not satisfy you for very long. Soon you will feel empty, like you are drowning, and your heart will be pieced with sadness and regret. It is not worth the cost!
“Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. Having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
1 Timothy 6:6-10
So, when you are dissatisfied with your present circumstances, you can’t let yourself look back at your old sinful life and think you’d be better off. That’s a lie that Satan tells us to try to pull us away from God. Instead, remember that your present situation is temporary and look forward towards a better future. Trust that God has goodness in store for His children. When He led the Israelites through the barren desert, He fed them with sweet pastries. There are blessings for us even in the midst of hardships. Trust God to get you through to the other side. Look for the blessings, however big or small, and praise him for them. If they are not plentiful in this life, they will be limitless in heaven. No matter what, you have an abundant inheritance waiting for you just because you are His child.
“God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.”… I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.”
Revelation 21:4-7
Excerpt from Episode 85 “Complaining and Discontentment” on Podcast and YouTube
