Introductory Thoughts
Life’s trials and difficulties are intended to draw people into a deeper knowledge of the Lord. However, murmuring hinders the lessons that result from the trials. The Lord uses trials to draw the unsaved to an understanding of their need to trust Jesus Christ as Saviour. At the same time, the Lord uses trials to teach saved people that they need to fully rely on Him and Him alone. These trials are meant to better the individual afflicted. However, the benefits of trials can be minimized when those enduring the trials begin to murmur and complain about the very thing intended to teach them. Murmuring hinders the education offered by trials. It puts the focus on the apparent wrong of the trial rather than upon what lesson the Lord might hope to come from the trial.
Devotional Thoughts
-
(For children): Gods people were on a long, hard journey. They forgot how God had delivered them from Egypt (Psalm 106:21-22) and started complaining of having no water. God provided (Exodus 15:22-25, 27). Because of their complaining, they faced this same trial twice more (Exodus 17:1-6; Numbers 20:2, 8).
-
(For everyone): What trials have you gone through of late? What lesson or lessons could the Lord have possibly desired to teach you through the trial? Did you fail the test by murmuring?
-
Do you enjoy enduring the same trials multiple times? Do you ever wonder why you continue to endure the same trials? Is it possible that murmuring hindered your education and you are having to repeat the lesson multiple times?
Prayer Thoughts
-
Ask the Lord to help you learn His intended lesson in trials.
- Ask God to remind you not to murmur in times of difficulty.
Song
MORE ABOUT JESUS
