Good Morning!
Are you ready for the work week, or did you already complain in your
heart (or out loud) that it is time to go back to work?
Thus far, in the first selection on murmuring,
we have discussed how the Spirit leads us in dealing with complaining and its
negative influences on our lives. Through faith we can use the positive plan,
God promised us, to deal with dissension among our fellow brothers. We also looked at how God intends us to lead
others who engage in murmuring. The second selection showed us that we need
consultation and leading from God to overcome Satan and his strategies. The Lord leads us to what we shall and shall
not do, according to His will. In this
third and final selection, we will complete the remaining Spirit-led
requirements, leaving us with a better understanding of what He would have us
do when encountered with murmuring, whether it is from others or within
ourselves.
Let us begin with the this requirement from
God; “Thou shall not focus on the
murmurers.” As we continue to look
at the Israelites in the wilderness, God states in Exodus 16:6, “…You shall know that the Lord hath brought
you out from the land of Egypt.”
Here, Moses and Aaron could have scorned against the Jews, however they
would have been taking on the Israelites’ negative characteristics. Leaders often become prey to the very issues
that irritate them. They start
complaining about the complainers. Moses
never complained about the Jews, despite their continued grumbling. Often times, we complain and lose out on the
blessings, contentment, and peace, which God intends for us.
Next, we are instructed that, “Thou shall talk truth to the murmurers.” In Exodus 16:7-8, the scripture states, “…then you shall see the glory of the Lord.” This was a positive statement about the
future. Sometimes there is pressure to
compromise the truth, due to the consequences, but we’ll never be good leaders
if we fail to tell complainers the truth.
Instruction six says, “Thou shall
not bear the murmurers alone.”
Exodus 16:9 states, “…Come near
before the Lord.” Moses used Aaron
to speak to the congregation. They were
not only brothers, but a team. Aaron
challenged the Jews to come near before the Lord, “…for He hath heard your murmurings.” If we are dissatisfied, hungry, or hurt, we
are to come near before the Lord. This
is where you can get real, lasting help.
We also see that, “Thou
shall not point people to yourself.”
In Exodus 16:10, the Bible says, “…They
looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.” Moses told Aaron, “We are not their
saviors.” The ego drives people to look
to others; however the Spirit always directs people to look towards the Lord
and not draw the focus on themselves.
You’ll never be able to live up to the performance standard of God.
Finally, we see, “Thou
shall persevere until death.”
Dealing with those who complain, whether it is in ministry, family, or
business, ranks high on the list of why leaders quit. For instance, statements are uttered like,
“I’ve had it; I’m not putting up with this anymore!” This was not an option for Moses. Our success is not based on how many people
we change from being negative, to being content. If you take that as the standard, even Moses
was a flop. A leader is not here for the
followers, but for Him.
In conclusion,
throughout these selections on murmuring, we’ve seen how faith must be used to
combat murmuring, both among others and within ourselves and how good
leadership is a reliance on God. Our
success is measured by our willingness to remain faithful to the call of God,
with a good spirit, regardless of the situation. Every leader will be criticized. God called us here to persevere. It’s inevitable that people will perpetually
murmur. Get over it and move on. Love God, serve the Lord, persevere, and
enjoy a wonderful week!
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