Faith on the Go: Ep: 6: When Glory Becomes Routine: The Curse of Familiarity

WEBVTT

00:00:00.017 --> 00:00:08.497
Hello, and welcome back to Diary of a Black Woman podcast with our Faith on the Go series.

00:00:08.857 --> 00:00:15.017
We're going to continue with the next episode titled, The Glory Got Too Common

00:00:15.017 --> 00:00:18.077
When God's People Forgot His Power.

00:00:19.077 --> 00:00:24.437
Why the Israelites complained in the wilderness after God delivered them.

00:00:24.657 --> 00:00:30.077
We know that story. and you get too common with the Lord, you can even get into

00:00:30.077 --> 00:00:31.877
a complaining attitude.

00:00:32.297 --> 00:00:40.957
But before we get into that topic, let's declare what God wants us to have from the prayer of Jabez.

00:00:41.437 --> 00:00:46.097
God, thank you that your hand is upon us, that our territory is expanding,

00:00:46.397 --> 00:00:52.217
that you are keeping us from harm, that our prayers are heard and that they will be answered.

00:00:52.637 --> 00:00:58.517
Here, we will rise from pain, walk in truth, and return to deep intimacy with

00:00:58.517 --> 00:01:03.997
God, healed, empowered, and walking boldly in divine purpose.

00:01:04.537 --> 00:01:08.177
I love the story of the Israelites.

00:01:08.477 --> 00:01:13.657
One thing about that story, it just keeps me balanced. It really, really does.

00:01:14.037 --> 00:01:17.277
So welcome to Faith on the Go with your host, Connie Morris,

00:01:17.517 --> 00:01:20.837
where we keep it real, raw, and rooted in the word.

00:01:21.117 --> 00:01:26.197
Today, we're continuing our Faith on the Go series with the curse of familiarity.

00:01:26.657 --> 00:01:31.337
And this one is personal. We're looking at the children of Israel.

00:01:31.957 --> 00:01:37.417
God's chosen people delivered by his hand, fed by his provision,

00:01:37.957 --> 00:01:43.117
led by his presence, and yet that wasn't enough. They still complain.

00:01:43.677 --> 00:01:49.237
Today's episode is called The Glory Got Too Common When God's People Forgot His Power.

00:01:49.517 --> 00:01:55.317
Because when we stop honoring God's miracles, we start resenting his process.

00:01:55.657 --> 00:01:58.137
So let's take a moment and let's talk about it.

00:01:58.617 --> 00:02:04.097
This is faith on the go, real talk, real growth, wherever you go, wherever you are.

00:02:04.317 --> 00:02:10.617
This message today comes from Numbers chapter 14, verses 1 through 4.

00:02:11.217 --> 00:02:17.957
Let's read it. That night, all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud.

00:02:18.177 --> 00:02:24.077
All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them,

00:02:24.277 --> 00:02:33.597
if only we had died in Egypt or in this wilderness, we should choose a leader

00:02:33.597 --> 00:02:36.277
and go back to Egypt. Wait a minute.

00:02:36.577 --> 00:02:43.357
Hold up. It says, if we only had died in Egypt or in this wilderness,

00:02:43.757 --> 00:02:47.877
we should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.

00:02:47.877 --> 00:02:55.217
How quick and easy is it that we decide that we want to go back to.

00:02:55.898 --> 00:02:59.178
The beginning and start over. Hold up.

00:02:59.438 --> 00:03:04.678
These same people saw the Red Sea split, the water come from a rock,

00:03:04.958 --> 00:03:12.478
they got fed with heavenly food, manna from heaven, and yet now they're saying,

00:03:12.878 --> 00:03:14.178
let's go back to slavery?

00:03:14.758 --> 00:03:19.478
That's what happens when glory becomes routine.

00:03:19.478 --> 00:03:26.138
Remember, God was watching the cloud by day and fire by night,

00:03:26.138 --> 00:03:32.418
but that was so routine that the glory became such a routine that they had to

00:03:32.418 --> 00:03:34.198
never say, this is like, wow,

00:03:34.438 --> 00:03:36.958
this is nothing. I want to go back to slavery.

00:03:37.318 --> 00:03:43.718
They became so used to miracles, they lost the reverence for the one who performed them.

00:03:44.258 --> 00:03:46.258
The curse of familiarity.

00:03:47.058 --> 00:03:51.878
The Israelites became entitled to the wilderness, entitled to the,

00:03:51.978 --> 00:03:54.298
in the wilderness. They came entitled in the wilderness.

00:03:55.118 --> 00:03:58.218
They stopped thanking God and started testing him.

00:03:58.478 --> 00:04:02.878
And instead of saying, God, you brought us out. You'll bring us in.

00:04:03.018 --> 00:04:06.278
They said, why did you bring us here at all?

00:04:07.478 --> 00:04:11.498
And I like the people. That's the danger of a heart that forgets.

00:04:11.498 --> 00:04:16.298
When you forget what God did, you start to doubt what he can still do.

00:04:16.478 --> 00:04:18.018
And here's the scary part.

00:04:18.378 --> 00:04:24.278
Their complaining cost them the promise. That entire generation died in the

00:04:24.278 --> 00:04:31.678
wilderness, all because they got familiar with the favor and forgot to fear the Lord.

00:04:32.078 --> 00:04:34.378
Let's take a pause here.

00:04:35.738 --> 00:04:42.138
They decided with their mouth, the danger of your mouth speaking against God.

00:04:42.398 --> 00:04:44.878
They were like, you know what?

00:04:45.278 --> 00:04:49.458
This is nothing. We're in the wilderness. Take me back to slavery.

00:04:49.818 --> 00:04:55.158
Who says that? They did. And what happened? He said, you won't ever see.

00:04:55.538 --> 00:04:59.798
You won't see the promised land. You will die in this wilderness.

00:05:00.118 --> 00:05:03.018
This is what your mouth says. This is what you should have.

00:05:04.108 --> 00:05:08.688
So what does this look like now, the modern wilderness in 2025?

00:05:09.388 --> 00:05:15.888
Let's bring it closer. You prayed for that job, but now you complain about the workload.

00:05:16.188 --> 00:05:21.388
You fasted for that relationship. Now you're bitter. God hasn't fixed them.

00:05:23.248 --> 00:05:29.748
You shouted over the open door and then doubted when it came with opposition.

00:05:29.988 --> 00:05:34.928
We do the same thing. We shout in church and panic in life.

00:05:35.148 --> 00:05:40.568
We give God glory. We give him glory on Sunday and give him grief on Monday.

00:05:40.768 --> 00:05:44.588
And what happens when we treat his glory like a given?

00:05:45.088 --> 00:05:53.048
Come on now. I love that. We give him glory on Sunday and grief on Monday.

00:05:53.548 --> 00:05:57.688
We pray for a job, which is a J-O-B.

00:05:57.968 --> 00:06:02.728
We know it ain't gonna come easily. Hello. and you complain about the workload.

00:06:03.408 --> 00:06:10.068
You're faster for the relationship, but you're bitter that God hasn't fixed them. Could it be you?

00:06:11.008 --> 00:06:16.988
And you shouted over the open door, but doubted when it came with opposition.

00:06:17.728 --> 00:06:20.728
How do you keep God's glory from becoming common?

00:06:21.248 --> 00:06:26.648
When you think about that, the children of Israel, God, I'm trying to think

00:06:26.648 --> 00:06:32.428
of too many things at once. The Bible was written for our learning, right?

00:06:32.728 --> 00:06:37.928
And so when you read the Israelites, when you read about the children of the Israelites,

00:06:38.528 --> 00:06:46.268
when we have God, the cloud by day and the fire by night, isn't that awesome

00:06:46.268 --> 00:06:48.848
that God didn't just send them out in the wilderness?

00:06:49.048 --> 00:06:51.928
He also sent his presence with them.

00:06:52.288 --> 00:06:54.268
And yet, and he fed them.

00:06:54.988 --> 00:06:57.208
And yet that wasn't enough.

00:06:58.148 --> 00:07:05.268
And their words became their curse. So if you are a complainer or a whiner, just be careful.

00:07:05.568 --> 00:07:08.688
Because what you say is what you will get.

00:07:09.942 --> 00:07:14.922
You will get exactly what you are complaining about.

00:07:15.422 --> 00:07:21.822
I remember this one time at work, and it came suddenly too, because be careful, because, you know,

00:07:22.602 --> 00:07:28.182
like the children of Israelite, they didn't realize that God was listening,

00:07:28.182 --> 00:07:33.162
and they didn't realize that they were going to get what they had said just that quickly.

00:07:33.822 --> 00:07:37.022
I remember, and you probably have the same experience or similar,

00:07:37.902 --> 00:07:40.662
where I was working as a police officer.

00:07:41.042 --> 00:07:44.462
And, you know, I had like a nice chunk of years on there. So it wasn't really

00:07:44.462 --> 00:07:47.262
going to affect me. We were just at a raise.

00:07:47.462 --> 00:07:53.162
You know, they freeze the wages for, I think it was about a couple of years, a wage freeze.

00:07:53.542 --> 00:07:59.242
But during that couple of years of wage freeze, it was about maybe two or three years of wage.

00:07:59.482 --> 00:08:03.942
They had froze the wages because of some kind of, you know, inflation or whatever

00:08:03.942 --> 00:08:09.142
they were doing. and there was people in the office that were complaining about their job.

00:08:09.302 --> 00:08:12.002
They were like, oh, I can't stand this job. I can't, this is that,

00:08:12.162 --> 00:08:15.122
this and that, and all that negative complaining, right?

00:08:15.522 --> 00:08:21.922
And so when they froze the wages, they also had to cut some jobs out.

00:08:22.262 --> 00:08:27.822
And lo and behold, the ones that were complaining the most, their jobs were

00:08:27.822 --> 00:08:30.202
actually on the line to be cut.

00:08:31.462 --> 00:08:34.202
Remember the job that they didn't want the job that

00:08:34.202 --> 00:08:36.942
they hated or they were complaining about it was

00:08:36.942 --> 00:08:40.582
on the line and you could

00:08:40.582 --> 00:08:45.442
hear them you couldn't hear them anymore it was quiet in that office because

00:08:45.442 --> 00:08:51.922
they realized that those words that they had said no matter what how much they

00:08:51.922 --> 00:08:58.502
whine I mean they whine for so long that they might have shifted the atmosphere because God I said,

00:08:58.602 --> 00:09:01.382
I got to get these people out of here, right?

00:09:01.642 --> 00:09:07.962
And some didn't lose their job because they whined about how bad the job was,

00:09:08.102 --> 00:09:12.542
that it came a chance that they lost that job that they needed.

00:09:13.318 --> 00:09:18.978
And so I was like, you got to be careful with your mouth because you will have what you say.

00:09:19.538 --> 00:09:26.498
Come on now. You will have exactly what you say and it can come suddenly.

00:09:27.118 --> 00:09:29.178
You can have what you say.

00:09:29.818 --> 00:09:35.898
Suddenly it will happen to you. So that's a warning to those who like to whine

00:09:35.898 --> 00:09:41.278
about everything. There's people that I'm not around them anymore.

00:09:42.398 --> 00:09:46.498
I try to keep to myself because the whiners, they whine about everything.

00:09:47.278 --> 00:09:50.918
And it's like, dang, what happens if that really, I always say this when I,

00:09:50.998 --> 00:09:54.138
if I happen to overhear, what happens if that really happens?

00:09:54.418 --> 00:09:59.538
You know, because you're, you're saying things that, that could actually happen.

00:09:59.838 --> 00:10:01.618
What will happen if that happens?

00:10:02.158 --> 00:10:05.518
And then they start to wonder that you can have what you say.

00:10:05.718 --> 00:10:08.398
You can create your own world with your words.

00:10:08.838 --> 00:10:12.398
And so they start to kind of think about it.

00:10:13.358 --> 00:10:19.218
Hopefully, sometimes they quiet down, but they make sure that if they're talking

00:10:19.218 --> 00:10:22.298
about it, that I'm not around to hear it because it's true.

00:10:22.638 --> 00:10:27.638
You don't like that job, then get another one because if you keep complaining

00:10:27.638 --> 00:10:29.058
about it, you're going to lose that one.

00:10:29.298 --> 00:10:32.158
The one you hate, you're going to lose it. But let's keep going.

00:10:32.938 --> 00:10:38.458
How to keep God's glory from becoming common or familiar.

00:10:39.038 --> 00:10:45.938
Number one, four hard shifts you must make so that you do not become like the children of Israelite.

00:10:46.198 --> 00:10:49.478
One thing that's not on here, you have to watch your mouth.

00:10:50.318 --> 00:10:54.378
Watch your mouth. Speak blessings and not curses. But number one,

00:10:54.478 --> 00:10:56.638
remember what he brought you through.

00:10:56.918 --> 00:11:01.018
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.

00:11:01.738 --> 00:11:05.158
You might not like the process that God has brought you through.

00:11:05.618 --> 00:11:12.018
You might not like that process, but you are in a different space and a place than you were before.

00:11:12.706 --> 00:11:16.546
Remember, God always has us on the journey.

00:11:16.746 --> 00:11:21.446
And so as we're on this journey, we might not like this particular moment in

00:11:21.446 --> 00:11:26.186
time, but just keep praying, keep fasting, keep believing.

00:11:26.486 --> 00:11:31.446
That too will change. Amen. So remember what he's brought you from.

00:11:31.546 --> 00:11:35.226
You're not where you were yesterday and you're not where you're going to be tomorrow.

00:11:35.566 --> 00:11:40.846
So always, always just keep your heart open to the shifting and changing of

00:11:40.846 --> 00:11:46.866
the Lord. He's always taking us higher, always taking us to something much better.

00:11:47.706 --> 00:11:52.906
Number two, thank him even when you don't feel like. Thank the Lord even when you don't feel like it.

00:11:53.166 --> 00:11:59.526
It says, gratitude is an antidote for complaining. Give thanks in all circumstances.

00:11:59.886 --> 00:12:05.406
1 Thessalonians 5.18. You ever, I don't know about you, but I'm always,

00:12:05.626 --> 00:12:09.426
you ever leave the house and then you happen to pass an accident?

00:12:09.426 --> 00:12:13.586
And you might have been running late that day, you know, and that could have

00:12:13.586 --> 00:12:18.746
been you, you know, but traffic is backed up and you're going to be late anyway.

00:12:18.966 --> 00:12:22.726
But you already ran, you ran out the house late. You got up late.

00:12:22.846 --> 00:12:24.306
Everything about your whole day is late.

00:12:24.526 --> 00:12:28.686
But in front of you was a real terrible accident and that could have saved your life.

00:12:28.886 --> 00:12:33.566
But you in the back, you fussing and honking a horn, not realizing that God

00:12:33.566 --> 00:12:36.826
saved your life today. It wasn't your time to go.

00:12:37.386 --> 00:12:40.866
And you just not feeling it because you're running late to work.

00:12:41.026 --> 00:12:42.606
The workplace is not going nowhere.

00:12:43.166 --> 00:12:47.026
The workplace ain't going nowhere. Call the boss. Hey, I'm caught in an accident.

00:12:47.346 --> 00:12:53.546
I'm going to be late. So that covers you right there from oversleeping. Am I right?

00:12:53.866 --> 00:12:57.606
So always give thanks in all circumstances.

00:12:57.966 --> 00:13:04.686
Just give God the praise in all circumstances. He orchestrates your day even

00:13:04.686 --> 00:13:05.926
when you don't think he is.

00:13:06.586 --> 00:13:12.086
Amen. Number three, speak faith, not fear. Don't rehearse Egypt when God is

00:13:12.086 --> 00:13:13.466
calling you into promise.

00:13:13.826 --> 00:13:18.006
We walk by faith and not by sight. It's at Corinthians 5, 7.

00:13:18.446 --> 00:13:23.846
Remember, God is always shifting and changing things. He's shifting and changing our future.

00:13:24.366 --> 00:13:29.986
Things are always moving. If you're partnered with God, this too will change.

00:13:30.166 --> 00:13:32.806
So speak faith and not fear.

00:13:33.766 --> 00:13:38.946
Number four, never honor his presence daily. That's the first thing.

00:13:39.226 --> 00:13:43.746
Not just when you want something daily, privately.

00:13:44.126 --> 00:13:46.246
Just honor his presence, period.

00:13:46.746 --> 00:13:52.286
He's always there. He's always around. In all your ways, acknowledge him.

00:13:52.866 --> 00:13:59.806
In all your ways, acknowledge him. Proverbs 3, 6. In all your ways, acknowledge him.

00:13:59.946 --> 00:14:03.886
Amen. And so how do we keep our heart open?

00:14:04.631 --> 00:14:09.151
Keep our heart, keep the glory from becoming common.

00:14:09.671 --> 00:14:13.331
Four hardships. Remember what he brought you through.

00:14:14.251 --> 00:14:19.051
Thank him even when you don't feel like it. Excuse me. Thank him even when you

00:14:19.051 --> 00:14:21.571
don't feel like it. Speak faith, not fear.

00:14:22.191 --> 00:14:25.411
Honor his presence daily. And the final reflection.

00:14:26.531 --> 00:14:33.651
The Israelites had daily miracles. A cloud by day, a fire by night, and food from heaven.

00:14:34.311 --> 00:14:42.071
Dang, that was like excellent. And they still complain because the glory got too familiar.

00:14:42.571 --> 00:14:45.051
Let there not be us in 2025.

00:14:45.771 --> 00:14:51.451
May we never get so used to God moving that we stop being moved by him.

00:14:51.851 --> 00:14:55.151
He is still holy. He is still mighty.

00:14:55.411 --> 00:15:01.871
And he still deserves our honor every day. Let's pray.

00:15:03.271 --> 00:15:06.451
Lord forgive me for every time I took

00:15:06.451 --> 00:15:09.431
your miracles for granted Forgive me for treating

00:15:09.431 --> 00:15:15.291
your glory like it was common Help me to remember what you've done And where

00:15:15.291 --> 00:15:21.671
you brought me And trust where you've taken me And where you're taking me Let

00:15:21.671 --> 00:15:27.731
me never be a complainer In the presence of your miraculous In Jesus name, amen.

00:15:28.991 --> 00:15:32.851
Thank you again for joining me on this podcast faith on the ghost,

00:15:33.131 --> 00:15:34.611
with this faith on the ghost series.

00:15:34.851 --> 00:15:38.271
I'm your host Connie Morris with Diary of a Black Woman.

00:15:38.691 --> 00:15:44.651
Don't let your familiarity block your favor. Don't let your comfort zone become your Egypt.

00:15:44.911 --> 00:15:49.731
And keep honoring, keep trusting, and keep moving forward.

00:15:50.471 --> 00:15:55.771
Yes, keep honoring, keep trusting, and keep moving forward.

00:15:55.851 --> 00:16:00.231
I was just thinking just now, when you look outside and there's clouds outside.

00:16:00.231 --> 00:16:03.351
Remember, it was cloud by day and fire by night.

00:16:03.511 --> 00:16:08.011
Then he's paying attention to you. He's trying to get you to the next level.

00:16:08.291 --> 00:16:10.371
So make sure you subscribe and share.

00:16:10.911 --> 00:16:17.891
Visit DiaryOfBlackWomenLLC.com for more devotionals and connect with us on Acts and Instagram.

00:16:18.411 --> 00:16:23.911
Until next time, keep walking in reverence with faith on the go.

00:16:24.531 --> 00:16:28.471
Let me activate the promises of Jeremiah 29 in your life.

00:16:29.011 --> 00:16:33.831
God knows the plans He has for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

00:16:34.191 --> 00:16:36.151
plans to give you hope and a future.

00:16:36.471 --> 00:16:39.871
And when you seek Him with all your heart, you will find Him.

00:16:40.351 --> 00:16:45.291
He will bring you back from captivity and restore everything that was lost.

00:16:45.851 --> 00:16:50.831
Hold on. Your healing, your clarity, and your breakthrough are closer than you think.

00:16:51.171 --> 00:16:56.171
This is more than a podcast. This is a return to God's plan for your life,

00:16:56.411 --> 00:16:58.611
let's keep walking it out together.

00:16:59.091 --> 00:17:03.351
Let's stay connected. In Jesus' name, until we meet again.