“Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.”
NUMBERS 11-13
26They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. 27They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. 28But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. 29The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.”30Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”31But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” 32And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. 33We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”(13:26-33)
JOURNAL
Sitting here in our modern world, it is easy for me to judge the Israelites for their lack of faith and their ungratefulness. In chapter 10 they complain about the manna and long for Egypt, believing slavery was somehow better than freedom. Now they stand at the edge of the promised land and doubt that God can deliver what He has already promised. They see abundance yet focus on obstacles. They want victory without struggle, blessing without dependence, and provision without trust. They desire rich food in the desert and an easy conquest without adversity.
Yet when I look honestly at my own heart, I recognize the same spirit within me. I also crave the easy path. I become dissatisfied with today’s blessings and quietly believe life should offer more comfort, more certainty, or fewer challenges. The rebellion that lived in Israel still lives in me whenever gratitude fades and fear grows louder than faith.
God’s discipline suddenly feels less harsh and more loving. He is not punishing weakness but shaping trust. He is teaching His people, and me, that faith is not proven when life is easy but when obedience moves forward despite uncertainty.
I want the spirit of Caleb, who saw the same giants yet believed in God’s promise more than in human limitation. I want the faith of the bleeding woman who pressed through the crowd believing that even the smallest touch of Christ was enough. Both chose trust over fear. Both moved toward God instead of retreating from difficulty.
Father, form that spirit in me. Teach me to meet every circumstance you allow with gratitude and courage. Nothing placed before me is greater than your power. Whatever season I walk through is an invitation to trust, to persevere, and to rejoice. Let gratitude shape my vision so that I see promise instead of giants and opportunity instead of complaint. May I conquer each day not through strength alone but through faith, joy, and thanksgiving, knowing that your will for me in Christ Jesus is to rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances.
12Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
Sitting here in our modern world, it is easy for me to judge the Israelites for their lack of faith and their ungratefulness. In chapter 10 they complain about the manna and long for Egypt, believing slavery was somehow better than freedom. Now they stand at the edge of the promised land and doubt that God can deliver what He has already promised. They see abundance yet focus on obstacles. They want victory without struggle, blessing without dependence, and provision without trust. They desire rich food in the desert and an easy conquest without adversity.
Yet when I look honestly at my own heart, I recognize the same spirit within me. I also crave the easy path. I become dissatisfied with today’s blessings and quietly believe life should offer more comfort, more certainty, or fewer challenges. The rebellion that lived in Israel still lives in me whenever gratitude fades and fear grows louder than faith.
God’s discipline suddenly feels less harsh and more loving. He is not punishing weakness but shaping trust. He is teaching His people, and me, that faith is not proven when life is easy but when obedience moves forward despite uncertainty.
I want the spirit of Caleb, who saw the same giants yet believed in God’s promise more than in human limitation. I want the faith of the bleeding woman who pressed through the crowd believing that even the smallest touch of Christ was enough. Both chose trust over fear. Both moved toward God instead of retreating from difficulty.
Father, form that spirit in me. Teach me to meet every circumstance you allow with gratitude and courage. Nothing placed before me is greater than your power. Whatever season I walk through is an invitation to trust, to persevere, and to rejoice. Let gratitude shape my vision so that I see promise instead of giants and opportunity instead of complaint. May I conquer each day not through strength alone but through faith, joy, and thanksgiving, knowing that your will for me in Christ Jesus is to rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances.
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