The people of Israel cried out because of their long bondage in the hands of the merciless Egyptians, and God delivered them. As God physically led them to a place He would give them to live, they still were not content with seeing the presence of the Almighty and His mighty deeds. They began to murmur and complain again.
God was angered and sent a fire that consumed many (Numbers 11:1-2), because of their sin. Many died until the man of God pleaded for God to stop His judgment.
Did they learn their lesson? Two verses later, they let the sin of discontentment again get control. They talked of all the good things they had had in Egypt. They licked their lips over the thoughts of the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic they had had in Egypt. They just were not happy with what God had given them.
It is not mentioned that they remembered the bad things in the land. It also is not mentioned that they recalled their slavery, lack of religious freedom, lack of freedom to do what they wished, pain, misery, and suffering. All they could do was remember the “good times.”
Sound familiar? Many get their lives changed when they are born-again. God cleans up many a dirty, ruined life.
Drunks and wife-beaters have been changed to wonderful, respectable, sober, non-violent husbands. Liars and cheats have their lives completely changed, and become lives of honesty. Their character becomes forthright and outstanding. Criminal lives become lives of outstanding citizenship.
All lives become changed when they get saved, and then are obedient to God’s commandments. They may not be perfect, but they are not the same lives they had before they were saved.
Born again children of God have much to be content with, but then discontentment rears its ugly head. Complaining and dissatisfaction creep into their conversation. Soon, they are no different then the children of Israel were. They begin to lust for the “good old days.”
Let the truth be known! There were no “good old days.” They were days that sowed sin, that one may be reaping its consequences to this day. They were days of committing sin that scarred one’s life and hurt others around you.
It is amazing how a mind can change the memory of a perilous past into something that seems far better than it was. We do exactly what the people of Israel did.
To avoid non-productive murmuring and discouraging complaining, here are some biblical truths that can help you avoid the downward spiral of those sins:
- Remember that we are naturally never satisfied. We always want more! We have to get control of what the flesh desires and let the spirit of God do the guiding.
“Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.” Proverb 27:20 - Let your thought-life and conversation never be about things you do not have or should not have. Thinking and talking about them leads to the desire for the real things.
“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Hebrews 13:5 - Realize that the world and God owe you nothing. Nothing this world has to offer is permanent anyway! Even that big house you have is only a pup-tent, because, pilgrim, you are only passing through this life. The truth of the matter is, none of us “deserve” anything, but what we do have is only because of the graciousness of our heavenly Father.
“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.” I Timothy 6:6-7 - Be happy with what you have or what you are going through. No matter where you find yourself, be content.
“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” Phil. 4:11-12
Anyone can complain. It takes no intelligence or character to do so, but there never is any gain in doing it. Grumbling also will never make one happy or change any situation. It will always make situations worse! However, being content and finding peace in any situation will help you find yourself happy with what you have and will guarantee a happier, more contented person.
“A man’s contentment is in his mind, not in the extent of his possessions.” — Spurgeon
Reading about contentment and reading the comments from last year by Bro Doug and Bro Brinkworth made me feel like I was looking into another world from the outside. You men inspire me. I feel like I am content in the sense that I am happy with where I am and with what God has given me. I do feel like I have a lot of responsibility to provide good jobs in a Christian work place to those who have chosen to come alongside me and cast their lot with us. In that way, I am not content for them.
I have noticed this…. in all the years I have had a payroll I have never seen a man you can pay happy. If they are going to be discontent with their wages, it doesn’t matter what they make, they will still be discontent. I have also noticed that craftsmen appreciate respect above all other things, flexibility next, and maybe pay third. You can pay a man a fortune, but if you do not respect him, he will be gone soon.
Covetousness is the root of a lot of discontentment. Your statement about dwelling on “things” is so true. It reminds me of the scripture that talks about the maturation of sin in James….”Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”
This is a challenging devotion..thanks for your work and thanks for the back and forth between you and Bro Doug.
The less one has the less bills one has which is better I think
I want to challenge all my brothers and sisters in Christ to please get out this November and VOTE! I have heard many people (including Christians) say that their not going to vote this election year because they don’t like the candidates. I personally don’t like the candidates either, but it’s just what Bro. Bill was writing about in “The Bible View” – vote for the lessor of 2 evils! Point is: VOTE!
This election is too important to stay home and not vote just because you don’t like the candidates! You don’t vote, you’re allowing someone else to determine who will be elected! Men and women of the past have died so we as Americans can exercise our freedoms to vote! We don’t need to stand by the wayside and allow LIBERALISM to continue to flourish in this nation! Let your voice be heard in November!
Amen. If a conservative voter, which a Christian should be, does not vote, they are indirectly giving their vote to liberals! IF any socialist (that’s obth of them) gets in, it will be the lazy, uninvolved voters fault! God may have given us a reprieve we have been begging Him for. PLEASE vote!!!!
Amen brother! My heart has always been for full-time ministry! I’ve just always had a hard time selling it to my wife! The ministry doesn’t pay a lot (you know that), and my wife says that I need to find a church that pays roughly $3-4,000 a month so I can quit my secular job and do full-time ministry work! Problem is though, most churches don’t pay that, and I’d rather make less money doing the work of the Lord than be miserable! I love my wife, but she looks at the financial side (which I understand), but I see the spiritual side of it as me being in God’s will!
$3-4000? The only way one would get that salary is if they were in a liberal church, and I can’t imagine you even considering such a possibility.
About 6 months ago, I took a job making the best money I have ever made! I have outstanding insurance, bonuses, 401k, off on weekends, and work with 2 other men that I’ve known for over 20yrs! And you know what? I hate it cause I thought that making more money and having better benefits was going to make me happy!
Believe it or not, the happiest I’ve ever been was when I was in God’s will pastoring His church making less than a thousand dollars a month! Yes, I’d rather make less money and put up with demands of the ministry than make more money and be miserable and be outside God’s will!
Amen!
A $1000 a month. You were rich. There was a time we received $50 every 6-8 weeks in a Boys Home Ministry! :>) Yes, it was full-time, and yes, it was the best job I’ve ever had. We’ve never been late in paying any bill and God has ALWAYS provided!