"Testing God's Patience: Lessons from the Israelites"

0:00 Welcome back to the Dahlia Black Woman podcast. I'm your host Connie Morris and today we will continue our series, The Games We Play With God. This episode is titled Testing God's Patience. Have you ever found yourself grumbling or doubting God's provision even after he showed up in your life time and time again? If so, you're not alone. This is a game humanity has played for centuries, and we'll look at the Israelites in Numbers 14 as a clear example of what happens when we test God's patience.

0:42 The Israelites testing God. So we're going to start in Numbers 14, 1 through 4. The Israelites who had just witnessed incredible miracles like being delivered from Egypt and seeing God part the Red Sea, began to complain when things got complicated. Let's go here to Numbers 14, 1 through 2. That night, all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, if only we had died in Egypt or in this wilderness.

1:23 So they get free from slavery, and then they wish upon themselves that they would have died in Egypt or in the wilderness. How many times do we get free from one thing and we go into another thing, and it happens to be a little bit harder, right? Just It's a little bit harder. And we complain. And the Israelites, they wished death. Has anything been that hard where you wish that you were dead? Sometimes it feels that way, right? But when you wake up that next day and you are breathing, that means that God has given you another chance to win this fight.

2:04 So let's continue here. It says, despite God's faithfulness, the Israelites doubted his ability to bring them into the promised land. Their grumbling wasn't just complaining, it was a lack of trust in God's promises. Are there areas in your life where you're doubting God's provision or timing? The consequences of testing God. The Israelites' lack of trust had serious consequences. God declared that none of the adults who had grumbled against him would enter the promised land. Only Joshua and Caleb, who trusted in God, were allowed to enter.

2:44 Now, Numbers 14, 27 reads, it says, How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites. When God said it twice, it ain't nice, right? Numbers 14, 27, he says, How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites. Testing God's patience doesn't just delay blessings, it can lead to missed opportunities. The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years because of their lack of trust.

3:24 What lessons can we learn from this? The testing of God's patience not only impacts us, but also affects those around us. Delaying progress and blessing our families and communities. So are you a grumbler and a complainer? So how do we test God in today's time, right? So we may not be literally wandering in the wilderness, but we still test God's patience in similar ways today. How did that look today? Number one, we grumble against provisions. We grumble about provision. Complaining about what we don't have instead of being grateful for what God has already provided.

4:10 So that's why it's so important if you don't have a gratitude journal or any journal, if you're looking at what's always missing, you miss what's already been provided. Do you have a roof over your head? Do you have clothes on your back? Did your car start up this morning? Do you have just a few dollars in the bank? Do you have some food in your refrigerator? Are your kids healthy? Just little things. Are you thankful for that? Number two, do you have a job? Do you have your help? Number two, doubting his promises, questioning whether God will come through even after he's been faithful in the past. So just remember what he's already done. And I always remember he didn't bring me this far to just leave me, right?

4:56 Number three, resisting his timing, trying to rush God's plans instead of waiting for his perfect timing. Just wrote another devotional on that one. Just being able to trust in God's perfect timing. Philippians 2, 14 to 15, it reads, do everything without grumbling or arguing, arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure. Children of God, blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. I got to read that again. Do everything without grumbling or arguing, arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure children of God without fault in a world crooked generation.

5:44 So if the church is complaining and the world is complaining, what makes you different? So he said, you want to represent me and not be the complainers, not be the one arguing and fussing, right? So gratitude and trust are the antidotes to grumbling and doubt. Here go some ways to stop testing God's patience. How do we do that? Number one, remember what he already done. Reflect on your past blessings and miracles in your life. He's not through blessing you, but you're grumbling and complaining, just like what happened in our last episode with Cora. You'll get sucked under the ground. So maybe, maybe not, but it didn't end well for him.

6:29 Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget now all his benefits. Read Psalms 103, remind you of his benefits. So remember what he's already done. Jesus died on the cross for you so that you can have eternal life. That's enough. If he doesn't do anything else for you, that's actually enough. Find out what that means. What does that mean to you? Number two, trust his promises. Meditate on scriptures that remind you of God's faithfulness. For no matter how many promises God has made, they are yes in Christ. And so through him, the amen is spoken by us to the glory of God.

7:10 2 Corinthians 1, 20, all God's promises are yes and amen. So as you're reading them, you can say yes, amen, yes, amen. Begin to read your Bible and find out what those promises are. So number one, remember what God has already done. It's written in his word. Trust his promises that what he said shall come to pass. And number three, cultivate gratitude. Replace complaints with thanksgiving. Give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will for you in Christ Jesus. Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will for you in Christ Jesus.

7:53 1 Thessalonians 5.18. Give thanks in all circumstances. Give thanks in all circumstances. Like, how do I do that? Just try it. Give thanks in all circumstances. A lot of times we don't give thanks in all circumstances. It could be worse. So you say, ah, it could have been worse. If you're breathing and giving thanks, it could have been not. You could not be breathing, not giving thanks. So remember, it could have been worse. Amen. Let's go. All right, so let's declare these truths to realign our hearts with trust and gratitude. I decree that I will trust God's promises, knowing he is faithful to fulfill them.

8:36 I decree that I will cultivate gratitude, replacing complaints with thanksgiving. And I decree that I will wait on God's timing, trusting that his plans are perfect. So what is the takeaway for this day? I challenge you to reflect on one area that you've been testing God's patience. Ask God, ask yourself, has God already been faithful in this area? And, you know, it's so good because you are thinking, you will think that, you know, God didn't even answer my prayer. And sometimes a no could be an answer. It was an answer.

9:19 Dang, I didn't get that when I got, if I would have got some things that I asked for earlier in life, I don't know. That's like a good father. Like, it's not a good timing to give me that gift right now because I want to harm myself with it, right? Then what steps can we do to replace doubt with trust? What kind of things you can do that can replace that doubt with trust? I always recommend writing a gratitude journal, things that you're thankful for. So when you start thinking negative, change that attitude and start thinking about some things that you're thankful for. And that will remind you of God's faithfulness.

10:01 Excuse me about that. So let's close with prayer. Heavenly Father, I thank you for your patience with us. Oh, yes. Even when we doubt and complain. Forgive us for the times we've tested your faithfulness and help us to trust you completely. Teach us to be grateful for all you've done and to wait on your timing with peace and confidence. In Jesus' name, amen. Wow. Thank you for joining me on this episode, The Games We Play With God. That was a short one, but it was powerful. And this message encourages you to share it with someone who needs to hear it. Subscribe so you don't miss the next episode.

10:45 And we will discuss in game number six, Playing With Idolatry. Ooh. And I was also reminded that a copy of this devotional and other devotionals are on my website. The Diary of a Black Woman LLC.com. Until next time, stay trusting, stay grateful, and be blessed. I'm your host Connie Morris. Until next time.