Discontent and Complaining

Num. 11:1

"And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, His anger kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp."

At the end of Chapter 10, the people were in order, rightly positioned and functioning,  sacrificing and waiting on the Lord, but one verse later, discontent had robbed their hearts of the blessing of obedience.  It was not over a large thing, but over something as insignificant as food, over meat specifically! They were tired of God's provision of manna, and they wanted meat, meat like they had had in Egypt! God says, "love not the things that are in the world" even its food! In the grand scheme of things man thinks that complaining is small fry compared to something like murder, but apparently with God, it's serious! God's anger was kindled!

In essence, a ccomplaining heart and mouth are saying that what God provided was not good enough, that His will and purpose were not satisfying, and that His wisdom was at fault. It also revealed the truth about the heart of man. Is man ever satisfied??  Would they be satisfied if God did give them meat? The passage says that he gave them quail for a month until it came out their nostrils. What an image of lust! What they so lusted after had turned to a hideous thing in their mouths. However, with this provision did come the Lord's judgment. As the quail were still in their teeth, a great plague came upon them and many were struck down.

What a lesson for all to read! Certainly, complaining and discontent damage the life and spirit of a person, but more importantly they are an affront to the holiness of God!

For me, the lesson is this: to learn to be content in any situation, to learn how to be brought low and to abound, and to learn the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. What is the secret? "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  Whatever God calls me to do is what is best for me and whatever God gives me is what I need.

Father,

Keep my eyes and my heart out of the world and ever focused on You. Give me Your strength to resist the lust of the world. Teach me to be content and rejoice in Your will for my life.

In Jesus name,

Amen