Where the Problem Lies
So often we just want God to change our circumstances. We ask Him for a new job, a new spouse, more money, better health, better relatives...all the things that make for an easier lifestyle. And if it doesn't happen, we might begin to think that God is heartless or weak or unable to bring about change. But that is just not the case. God is neither heartless nor weak nor incompetent. What He is though is a heart-changer. See, while we are busy looking for Him to change the outward things we can see, He is yearning to change the things we don't see - our hearts. As we beg Him to push us past or remove the uncomfortable, He is waiting for us to stop and see that our problem is not our circumstances, but rather our perception of our circumstances and our perception of Him as our Provider.
I know this to be true in my own life when God said to me once, "You know, Valerie, it's not hard for me to change your finances. I can make provision blow in like a sudden rainfall that unexpectedly blows into a city. It's not hard for me to bring change. What's hard is changing your heart about it."
I had to laugh. All along I had thought the problem was His incompetence and uncaring heart, when in reality, the problem was really me. God could bring change, but He didn't want to see me leave the circumstance without learning from it first. He knew the whole season would be a waste if I came out on the other side of it unchanged and not knowing and trusting Him more.
And so was the case with the Israelites in the wilderness. They cried out and complained for God to change their circumstances. But instead of taking them out of the wilderness, God met them where they were at and showed them His faithfulness and ability to meet their needs - even in impossible circumstances. He miraculously fed them manna and quail. He gave them water from a rock. He showed them what He still shows us today: that He is enough in every circumstance and every season of life. And He is only after one thing - our hearts. How He longs for us to know Him for who He really is: Loving, Faithful, Strong and Able. And He wants more than anything to draw us to Himself and learn to trust Him - no matter the circumstance.
I know this to be true in my own life when God said to me once, "You know, Valerie, it's not hard for me to change your finances. I can make provision blow in like a sudden rainfall that unexpectedly blows into a city. It's not hard for me to bring change. What's hard is changing your heart about it."
I had to laugh. All along I had thought the problem was His incompetence and uncaring heart, when in reality, the problem was really me. God could bring change, but He didn't want to see me leave the circumstance without learning from it first. He knew the whole season would be a waste if I came out on the other side of it unchanged and not knowing and trusting Him more.
And so was the case with the Israelites in the wilderness. They cried out and complained for God to change their circumstances. But instead of taking them out of the wilderness, God met them where they were at and showed them His faithfulness and ability to meet their needs - even in impossible circumstances. He miraculously fed them manna and quail. He gave them water from a rock. He showed them what He still shows us today: that He is enough in every circumstance and every season of life. And He is only after one thing - our hearts. How He longs for us to know Him for who He really is: Loving, Faithful, Strong and Able. And He wants more than anything to draw us to Himself and learn to trust Him - no matter the circumstance.
Then the Lord said to Moses, “I have heard the Israelites’ complaints. Now tell them, ‘In the evening you will have meat to eat, and in the morning you will have all the bread you want. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’
That evening vast numbers of quail flew in and covered the camp. And the next morning the area around the camp was wet with dew. When the dew evaporated, a flaky substance as fine as frost blanketed the ground. The Israelites were puzzled when they saw it. “What is it?” they asked each other. They had no idea what it was.
And Moses told them, “It is the food the Lord has given you to eat.”
Exodus 16:11-15 NLT
http://bible.com/116/exo.16.11-15.nlt
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