When we come across situations that seem like impossibilities, a crisis of faith might happen to us just like Moses in Numbers 11.
Numbers 11:21-23
But Moses said, “Here I am among six hundred thousand men on foot, and you say, ‘I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!’ Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?
Is the LORD's arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you.
This chapter begins with the Israelites delivered from slavery complaining about their hardships in the hearing of the LORD yet again! This makes us pause and think if we have the freedom to complain to God about our hardships. Or should it be brought before God as prayer and supplication?
The answer to our doubt is obtained a few verses later when we see Moses' response to the cry of the Israelities was prayer! So instead of grumbling and complaining before our Creator in our difficulties, let us transform those complaints into prayers.
In times of hurting, we must pray. In seasons of happiness and in sadness, we must pray. We should pray when we are confused, and we should pray when we have complaints. Therefore in every season that we traverse through, prayer must be our response. The Bible says, “Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises” (James 5:13).
As prophet Isaiah reminds us in Isa 45:9, we must not argue with our Creator:
“What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, ‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’ Does the pot exclaim, ‘How clumsy can you be?’
Numbers 11:10-15 is a passage which many of us can easily correlate to our lives.
“He asked the Lord, “Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their ancestors? Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.””
Moses was deeply troubled at heart and he reached a point that he could no longer carry the burden of these Israelites on his shoulders alone. But even when things became burdensome for him, he made the right decision to pour out his worries before God and without any pride in heart confessed that he needed help. We have a Heavenly Father who is approachable at all times to whom we can unashamedly admit that our burdens are too heavy for us to bear alone and that we need help from Him.
But then we wonder, doesn’t our God who is omniscient already know what we are going through and can’t He render help without us even asking? Let’s consider Jesus Christ as our role model and read Luke 22:41-42:
“He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.””
If Jesus while on earth, out of His human nature shared the burden with His Heavenly Father, how much more must we pour out ourselves before God?
Psalms 55:22
“Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you;
He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.”
Matt 11:28
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Instead of storing up the burdens within ourselves and not receiving any peace, let’s look to Jesus the author and finisher of faith.
In response to Moses’ plea for help, God gave Moses 70 of Israel's elders to share his burden. An interesting thing to note here is that all of these 70 men had portions of Spirit that was on Moses. Not everyone may understand us, and only those with a different Spirit like that of Joshua & Caleb can really understand our deep sorrows and pain. That is why churches, Christian fellowships and communities play a crucial role as we carry the same Spirit and hence God enables us to carry the burdens of our fellow brethren.
Did the Israelites receive what they had complained for in the beginning of this chapter?
Yes, when we read Numbers 11:20 we observe God promising to provide them with meat for a whole month until they loathe it. While they gained the desires and cravings of their heart, they lost something even greater -- because of their complaint, they were indirectly rejecting God.
We can survive without physical food, but we cannot survive without spiritual food obtained through our relationship with our Heavenly Father. Many times, we don’t realize that when we ask for things outside of God’s sovereign plan towards us, we lose something more precious. Let’s exercise due diligence when we seek our own plans and motives.
Finally, meditating on Numbers 11:21-22 we see a doubting Moses. It startles us when we realize can a man like Moses, who has witnessed and performed great miracles ever doubt God?
The reason for this behavior could be a crisis of faith due to living among a doubting nation, grumbling people, a community without any faith that might have led to Moses' faith being slightly drained.
Let this serve as a reminder for us to be wise in our companionship. Are we found among people who are strong in faith or those who lack faith? That will determine our response to God’s promises.
Just like Moses, we may have doubted God and His promises towards us several times, but take it to heart that God will never change His promises towards us. It's always Yes & Amen in Christ Jesus. God will show us the fulfilment of His promises.
Numbers 23:19
“God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfil?”
So whenever negativity fills over heart and whispers in our ears that we will not see the fulfillment of His promises, confess the Word of God like David in Psalms 27: 12-14
“Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
spouting malicious accusations.
I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord.”
To summarize,
1. In times of hardships, instead of complaining bring it to God in prayer
2. When the burden is too heavy for you to carry, like Moses, share it with God and He will be able to understand us
3. Church and fellowships are extremely important because only those who carry the same Spirit can really understand our pain. Support and encourage those who are going through pain and sorrows because we are called to do so.
4. If you are having a faith crisis, evaluate who your companions are and be around those who are strong in faith so that they could build you up in faith
5. If God has promised something, you will see its fulfillment because God will never change His mind
6. Profess and confess Word of God when you face negativities