Words of Encouragement …timely devotions and Bible study for the seeking heart!

Finding Fault with God?

"Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer."  1 Corinthians 10:10

Ever play the "blame" game or the "what if" game?  When our expectations are dashed, we are left angry and resentful that life didn't measure up.  We often feel betrayed, bereft of trust.  Unfortunately, our response to our feelings is usually to level charges of "foul" against our Lord.

Things happen in life that aren't particularly pleasant.  It can be difficult to reconcile what's happening, and difficult to get over it.  We expect the Christian life to be easier than the ungodly life.  We expect God to intervene in a way that is pleasing to us.  We expect justice now.  We expect deliverance now.  We seek relief by reliving the experience or seeking to vent to our family and friends.  Caught up in our desires, we forget that God has His own plan with His will superseding ours.  Faced with feelings that can't be reconciled or put to rest, seek God and keep on seeking Him to get you through it.

Still not convinced?  Ever wondered how God feels about our feelings of betrayal?  The account of the Israelite exodus will give us some clues...

Here's the scene...

The descendants of Abraham were still in Egypt long after Jacob's son, Joseph and the brothers were dead and gone.  They had prospered initially when they first came into this land, but over time, the Egyptians became afraid of them.  Their numbers had increased dramatically, outnumbering the Egyptian people.  The new Pharaoh came up with a plan to enslave them, forcing them to work in servitude building city structures.  He hoped the rigor of their servitude would cause their numbers to dwindle, but God blessed them and they continued to increase in number.  Then Pharaoh came up with the plan for the midwives to kill the newborn boys.  Moses was one who was spared.  Pharaoh's daughter found him and raised him in the Pharaoh's household.  At the appointed time, God called Moses and his brother Aaron to deliver the people and lead them back to the land that had been given to Abraham.  Moses contended with Pharaoh under God's direction until Pharaoh released the people.  The account of the exodus begins in the Book of Exodus chapter 12.  Once the Israelites had crossed the Red Sea and the Egyptians were destroyed, things went well for about the first three days.

The murmuring begins and continues...

Life in the desert was hot, dry, and barren.  The people began to murmur because there was no good water to drink (Exodus 15).  Moses appealed to God for help and provision for this tremendous number of people.  Historians reckon there were thousands of people who went out from Egypt.  Providing enough water to feed the people and the stock would take a miracle, but God provided.  He directed them to sources of water so that all would have what was needed.

During the second month the people began to murmur again because they did not have food to eat.  Moses reminded the people that their murmuring had been heard by the Lord.  Still God provided yet again.  This time manna came down each morning so the people could collect enough for the day's needs.  Extra was collected on the sixth day to be used for the Sabbath.  God also provided quail for the people to eat in the evening.

The murmuring continued against God.  Clearly all they needed had been provided by God, but still each time the people had a need, they began to murmur or complain rather than trust that God would provide again.  Their murmuring got them into trouble.  It had become such a habit, they automatically doubted before even considering what God would do to help them.  With the slightest challenge, there arose a great cry of "Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would God we had died in this wilderness!" (Numbers 14:2)  Surely God had reason to be offended.

We have such a longsuffering God.  He showed them grace over and over again, to no avail.  Nothing changed.  They did not trust Him.  They had no peace.  Their fear kept them from the Promised Land.  The spies reported there were giants in the land (Numbers 13).  Upon hearing this news, fear took hold.  The people were ready to appoint a captain to take them back to Egypt.  Joshua and Caleb tried to reason with the people, but they would not listen.  God was fed up.  He purposed to kill them, but Moses intervened in prayer.  God exercised His judgment against them by refusing them entry until all in that generation had died, with the exception of Joshua and Caleb.  What happened to those that perpetrated the outcry against God and influenced others to rebel as well?  They immediately died of a plague.

Despite all that had happened, the people continued to rebel against God.  Some of the influential men took up a reproach again Moses and Aaron.  They began to question their authority to act on their behalf.  Moses and Aaron had elevated themselves in arrogance and pride they believed.  These men thought they were equal in holiness.  They refused to honor God's selection of Moses and Aaron.  These influential men died for their insolence.  Worse the people complained about God's judgment on these men, so God sent a plague.  Moses and Aaron intervened again, but many many people died.

What's wrong with murmuring...

Murmuring demonstrates a distrust of God

Murmuring demonstrates unbelief in His power and authority.

Murmuring demonstrates a desire for control.

Murmuring demonstrates a desire for power.

Murmuring demonstrates discontent.

Murmuring demonstrates rebellion against God

Murmuring causes strife.

Murmuring causes division.

Murmuring causes others to doubt.

Murmuring results in judgment.

What does God's Word say?

"Thou wilt say then unto me, why doth he yet find fault?  For who hath resisted His will?  Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God?  Shall the thing formed say to Him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus?  Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?  Romans 9:19-21

"Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves."  Philippians 2:3

"But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."  Philippians 4:19

"Not that I speak in respect of want:  for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."  Philippians 4:11

"Do all things without murmurings and disputings"  Philippians 2:14

"These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage."  Jude 16

Conclusion...

God hates contending with us.  He is God alone.  When we are discontent, we are saying to God that we know better than He does what is best.  We are not to question Him about His decisions, for that is insolence.  We are to submit and obey.  Blessed be the name of the Lord.

When bad things happen and we take up a reproach against God, we must realize the nature of God does not allow Him to treat us unjustly because He is just.  Jesus said, "I can of mine own self do nothing:  as I hear, I judge:  and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me."  John 5:30

None of us are exempt from the sin of murmuring.  It is hard to stop complaining and trust.  Getting over hurt and anger takes time, but if we will first trust and try to leave off blaming God or murmuring, we will find Him in our midst.  Don't let murmuring become a habit.

Remember God forgives sin.  John tells us, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness"  (1 John 1:9). If we will come to Him in repentance, He will forgive and restore us to fellowship with Himself.  There is hope.  I am reminded of the story in Mark 9:23-24 of the man who wanted healing for his child.  "Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.  And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief." When you find yourself beginning to panic over your circumstances, cry out to the Lord and ask Him to give you the faith to believe Him.  He will help, trust me, better yet, trust the Lord God Jehovah.

Copyright 2011 by Linda Hull