I'm Not so Different

It's confession time I'm afraid. I recently realized I shouldn't be so hard on the Israelites who traveled with Moses.

After writing about them the last few weeks and how they seemed to miss the boat in what was happening to them. . .wishing they were back in Egypt instead basking in the presence of Almighty God. . .I kept asking myself, how could they do that? Why would they do that? Didn't they trust that God was taking them where there was green grass and freedom? I know I'm seeing it from the 20/20 hindsight mode, but why did they doubt and grumble?

Was it the change they were experiencing? Change can be hard. If you've ever moved away from the known to the unknown, you know how easy it is to compare the new to the old. It's a natural thing. So, maybe that was why they grumbled.

I mean after all, they went from having a flowing river with green vegetation nearby to walking in a desert for over forty years. They went from growing and eating a variety of foods to eating the same food every day. How many of us can do that without complaining?

And, they went from having market places hosting products from all over the world to having no place to upgrade or change their belongings. We're talking no malls, no strip-centers, not even a Target or Walmart. How long could you go without shopping?

But the one thing that gets me. . .they went from having dwellings that had doorposts to living in tents. I am not a camper, hello, need I say more?

Ok. So, if I look at it from their shoes I get the grumbling. I can understand where they're coming from. Do you? Would you have grumbled?

But my confession doesn't stop there. So many changes have hit my life lately that I found myself, for several days, wishing I was back on an old path and not having to face the changes ahead of me. My anxiety increased with each passing day making it harder to get anything accomplished. Then reality hit me. . .I'm an Israelite. . .a full-fledged grumbler and doubter. Ouch! I didn't just understand them I had become just like them. How easy was that to do? Ouch again.

I want to follow God's leading hand. I want to be where he wants me. And, right now in my life that requires changing some things. So I started telling myself. . ."God's taking me to the promise land". This has worked well to change my attitude and focus. And I strive to remember that I can do all things through Jesus who strengthens me.