Count Your Blessings Not Your Voids

Peyton Johnston

November 23rd, 2017

Numbers​ ​11

I’m​ ​not​ ​sure​ ​that​ ​the​ ​Israelites​ ​ever​ ​truly​ ​learned​ ​the​ ​art​ ​of​ ​being​ ​content.​ ​They​ ​didn’t​ ​seem​ ​to ever​ ​really​ ​notice​ ​all​ ​the​ ​great​ ​things​ ​God​ ​was​ ​doing​ ​for​ ​them​ ​because​ ​were​ ​too​ ​preoccupied wallowing​ ​in​ ​their​ ​self-proclaimed​ ​misery.​ ​God​ ​had​ ​brought​ ​them​ ​from​ ​a​ ​life​ ​of​ ​wicked​ ​abuse​ ​and suffering,​ ​and​ ​never​ ​failed​ ​to​ ​provide​ ​for​ ​their​ ​every​ ​need.​ ​They​ ​had​ ​been​ ​set​ ​free,​ ​made​ ​into​ ​a nation,​ ​possessed​ ​God’s​ ​favor,​ ​and​ ​were​ ​on​ ​their​ ​way​ ​to​ ​their​ ​promised​ ​land.​ ​Yet,​ ​they persistently​ ​demoralized​ ​their​ ​leader​ ​and​ ​insulted​ ​God​ ​by​ ​minimizing​ ​the​ ​pain​ ​of​ ​their​ ​past​ ​and shamelessly​ ​voicing​ ​their​ ​disdain​ ​for​ ​what​ ​they​ ​felt​ ​their​ ​lives​ ​lacked.

They​ ​had​ ​become​ ​so​ ​consumed​ ​by​ ​their​ ​dissatisfaction​ ​and​ ​impatience​ ​that​ ​they​ ​developed​ ​a delusion​ ​of​ ​what​ ​their​ ​old​ ​life​ ​had​ ​been​ ​like.​ ​Somehow​ ​in​ ​their​ ​daydreaming,​ ​they​ ​forgot​ ​about the​ ​brutal​ ​slavery​ ​God​ ​had​ ​delivered​ ​them​ ​from​ ​-​ ​so​ ​much​ ​so​ ​that​ ​their​ ​hearts​ ​fixated​ ​on​ ​an obsession​ ​over​ ​the​ ​Egyptian​ ​lifestyle​ ​they​ ​convinced​ ​themselves​ ​they​ ​used​ ​to​ ​enjoy.

Ok​ ​-​ ​anyone​ ​else​ ​at​ ​this​ ​point​ ​thinking:​ ​“C’mon,​ ​Israelites,​ ​are​ ​you​ ​for​ ​real?!​ ​Get​ ​it​ ​together!”

But​ ​before​ ​we​ ​judge​ ​the​ ​Israelites​ ​too​ ​harshly,​ ​let’s​ ​think​ ​on​ ​this​ ​-​ ​how​ ​often​ ​do​ ​we​ ​show​ ​the same​ ​lack​ ​of​ ​gratitude​ ​for​ ​what​ ​God​ ​has​ ​done​ ​for​ ​us?​ ​In​ ​different​ ​ways,​ ​He​ ​has​ ​shown​ ​us​ ​the same​ ​grace​ ​and​ ​mercy​ ​toda.​ ​Yet​ ​we,​ ​too,​ ​are​ ​guilty​ ​of​ ​sometimes​ ​exchanging​ ​a​ ​heart​ ​of gratitude​ ​for​ ​a​ ​heart​ ​of​ ​greed.​ ​Are​ ​we​ ​grateful​ ​for​ ​what​ ​God​ ​has​ ​given​ ​us,​ ​or​ ​are​ ​we​ ​always thinking​ ​about​ ​something​ ​else​ ​we​ ​wish​ ​we​ ​had?​ ​Do​ ​we​ ​display​ ​a​ ​thankful​ ​spirit,​ ​or​ ​do​ ​we constantly​ ​complain​ ​about​ ​things?​ ​Dissatisfaction​ ​comes​ ​when​ ​our​ ​attention​ ​shifts​ ​from​ ​our blessings​ ​to​ ​our​ ​voids.​ ​We​ ​should​ ​not​ ​allow​ ​our​ ​unfulfilled​ ​desires​ ​to​ ​cause​ ​us​ ​to under-appreciate​ ​and​ ​devalue​ ​the​ ​gifts​ ​God​ ​has​ ​given​ ​us.​ ​And​ ​we​ ​certainly​ ​should​ ​never​ ​allow​ ​a trying​ ​season​ ​to​ ​cause​ ​us​ ​to​ ​forget​ ​God’s​ ​goodness,​ ​or​ ​to​ ​convince​ ​us​ ​to​ ​question​ ​God​ ​or​ ​His appointed​ ​leaders.

Another​ ​bit​ ​of​ ​food​ ​for​ ​thought​ ​-​ ​Matthew​ ​7:11​ ​tells​ ​of​ ​how​ ​God​ ​delights​ ​in​ ​giving​ ​us​ ​good​ ​things. If​ ​He’s​ ​withholding​ ​something​ ​from​ ​you,​ ​it’s​ ​only​ ​because​ ​God​ ​knows​ ​it​ ​isn’t​ ​good​ ​for​ ​your​ ​life!

During​ ​this​ ​season​ ​of​ ​thanksgiving​ ​-​ ​and​ ​in​ ​every​ ​season​ ​of​ ​your​ ​life​ ​-​ ​try​ ​to​ ​count​ ​your​ ​blessings more​ ​than​ ​your​ ​voids.

Pray:​ ​​“God,​ ​no​ ​matter​ ​my​ ​situation,​ ​let​ ​me​ ​never​ ​get​ ​so​ ​caught​ ​up​ ​in​ ​my​ ​voids​ ​that​ ​I​ ​lose​ ​the ability​ ​to​ ​see​ ​my​ ​blessings.​ ​You​ ​have​ ​given​ ​me​ ​life,​ ​salvation,​ ​and​ ​a​ ​place​ ​in​ ​Your​ ​Kingdom​ ​-​ ​for those​ ​things​ ​alone,​ ​You​ ​deserve​ ​all​ ​the​ ​praise​ ​and​ ​thanks​ ​I​ ​can​ ​give!”