Exodus 16:2-3 (KJV) Says "And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger. " Exodus 17:3 (KJV) Says "And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?"
Exodus 12:40-41(KJV) Tells us that the Israelites were slaves in Egypt for 430 years. During that time they experienced hard labor, physical beatings, having their male children taken away and put to death upon their birth, and other such hardships. You would think that when the Lord called Moses to lead them out of Egypt they would have been so grateful to God that they could hardly contain themselves. You would think their level of excitement would have been off the charts, and their faith and trust in him would have been unwavering. Maybe it was briefly, but as the above scripture indicates their excitement didn't last very long before it was replaced with murmuring, doubt, lack of faith, whining and complaining.
Before the Israelites were actually led out of bondage they witnessed the power of God firsthand through the many plagues he brought upon Egypt, when Pharaoh repeatedly refused to let them go. They had witnessed God parting the red sea, and bringing it together again upon the Egyptians who were pursuing them. They witnessed all these mighty works yet they still whined, complained, and showed a tremendous lack of faith in the wilderness, and they did so on many occasions.
Not long after being led out of Egypt the Israelites resorted to whining and complaining over lack of food and water, and this is documented in the above scripture. What little faith in God they showed by doubting whether or not he would provide them with something as basic as food, and water. Their lack of faith was so strong they even went so far as to say they would have rather remained in bondage in Egypt where they had food and water than to have been led into the wilderness to die from hunger, and thirst.
It became clear that Moses was in charge of a multitude of whiners in the wilderness. Most of us have been guilty of whining and complaining at one time or another in our lives. I have been known to whine and complain myself, especially when I get sick. I am working on breaking that habit because not once has it sped up my recovery. There are those, however, who don't seem to know how to do anything else. What a negative state of existence, and what a terrible waste of energy it is to whine and complain constantly.
The Israelites took 40 years to make a journey that could have been made in eleven days had they past the tests God put before them in the wilderness. They wasted all that energy whining and complaining about food and water, and not once did God allow them to go without either. That wasted energy could have been used to praise God, thank him for their freedom, and in celebrating the fact that they were headed to the promised land. Had they had faith, and trust in God they could have left off the whining and complaining knowing without a doubt that God would provide for them.
When you have a problem do you whine and complain? Do you let it make you miserable, and then share your misery with others through your whining and complaining? If so, has this behavior ever resulted in a solution to your problems or somehow made your situation better? Or does it only serve to steal your joy, and the joy of those around you? Don't be like the Israelites in the wilderness roaming around whining and complaining unnecessarily. Choose to enjoy your life. Do what you can to solve your problems, and take what you can't do anything about to the Lord in prayer, and leave it there. Don't doubt God, and his ability to help you with whatever trials you may be facing. Put your faith, and trust in him. In his time, which is perfect, he will see you through.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
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