BREAKING THE PATTERN

God loves His people and has promised to provide for us, and all our needs.  Throughout history He has done what He has promised, faithful to His word.  Knowing that and truly believing that should result in nothing but thanksgiving and praise continually flowing out of my heart and mouth.  Unfortunately this is not always the case. 

Too often what spews out of my mouth are complaining, grumbling, and frustration at what I don’t have or that things are not going the way I want them to go.  Then I make it even worse by taking that spewing and sharing it with others, secretly expecting some kind of sympathy or attention to ‘poor me’ who has it so rough.  Ugg…even writing it makes me sad and disgusted with myself.  I recognize the whiney, needy flesh when I see it and shouldn’t I be better at this now?  The answer to that question is yes, and I am.  So I need to recognize it, repent of it, and get over myself quickly.

It is a clear pattern I see in the Scriptures; a pattern repeated by God’s people way too much.  The desert sky was full of continuous grumbling after God had released His people from their slavery in Egypt.  How quickly they forgot all the mighty miracles and works God accomplished for them once they got hungry and thirsty.  Rather than simply asking God for food and water they grumbled and complained to the point of wanting to go back to “good ole Egypt” where they were fed and watered but also abused and slaves.  Years later the same thing happened in David’s time when the people went to Samuel and demanded a king to reign over them, like all the other people had; and the beat goes on throughout the centuries.  God continually giving and providing; humans continually looking in all the wrong places and forsaking God, grumbling and complaining.

Today’s newspaper, today’s world is filled with God’s people demanding their rights and grumbling because things aren’t going the way they want them to.

The unintended consequences of all of this patterned behavior is a downward spiral, getting farther away from God and the eternal Spiritual life available to a life in the flesh that has a very short shelf life.

In the end what God has spoken from the beginning will be brought to pass; His counsel will stand and He will accomplish all He has purposed.

“I am God, and there is no other;

I am God, and there is none like me.”

Isaiah 46:9

This Truth needs to fill my mind, heart, and soul every minute of every day.  This Truth can only result in praise and thanksgiving for God’s steadfast love and faithful provision.  All other patterns must be broken and abandoned.