Many of the decisions we make in life are centered on fear, or lack there of. Fear is always directly tied to doubt. We fear what we doubt. When we doubt our decisions or circumstances, we fear the possible outcome. If I take a test and have doubt in my answers, I fear that I will make a bad grade. Another example, some Christians will feel an urge to promote and spread the Word of God to people in hard to reach places, either in this country or another. But many who have this feeling will turn their back to it. They doubt the situation, and as a result turn away in fear. They may feel they do not have adequate resources or protection, or both, so they ignore the calling. We see the Israelites doubt God’s greatness in Numbers 13-14.
In Numbers 13-14, the Israelites doubted God’s promise to deliver them into the promise land. When the men Moses sent to explore Canaan (the land God was giving the Israelites) returned, they presented a negative report on the land. We see these men show immense doubt in God’s greatness in Numbers 13:31-32, “But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are. And 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.” Due to the negative reports from the men who scouted the land, fellow Israelites began to express the same amount of fear and doubt. In Numbers 14:1-4 the people rebel against the LORD:
“That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”
The Israelites magnified their potential problems. We all fall victim to this, we assess a situation… constantly re-imaging the potential difficulty and each time we do this we find a way to increase the hardship in our minds. The Israelites became so focused on the obstacle that stood before them that they forgot about the greatness of God. They, as we, should not magnify the problems, but magnify God! They disobeyed God’s Word, and in doing so disqualified themselves from the blessing of God. When God is for you, nothing can stop you; but when He is against you, you have no hope.
“Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the LORD fills the whole earth, not one of those who saw my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times—not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it. But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.” –Numbers 14:21-24
We see in the scripture above that Caleb had faith in God’s Word. He trusted in God’s goodness. Through his faith in God’s greatness, he did not doubt God’s Word, but instead trusted. We need to have this same faith-filled mentality. When there is an obstacle in your life, do not see it as a problem but rather an opportunity. God places obstacles in our lives so that we can grow closer to Him, learning to trust in Him. It is part of the process of God refining us to become more Christ-like. I believe God puts us in many situations solely for the purpose of molding us into the people He wants us to be. As we will see in the next two verses, God will never give you more than you can handle. Because of this I am confident in saying that He presents you with what is needed to shape you into the person He has destined you to be.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. “ –Jeremiah 29:11
“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”--1 Corinthians 10:13
What about you? Will you turn from God, trusting in yourself… or will you run to God, trusting in Christ? Lets not sit back in fear of the world, but step forward with faith in His Word! Faith in the promises of God makes you fearless to the powers of man. No matter how difficult it gets do not forget the goodness of God, do not doubt His greatness.
"“No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is from Me,” says the LORD.” – Isaiah 54:17
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