metroldj's Journal

Many people in the world are trying to find God, and what we show them is much more important than what we tell them. 

As an Old Testament example, think about Joseph who was unjust mistreated by his brothers.  They sold him into slavery and told his father that he had been killed by a wild animal.  Meanwhile, he was purchased by a wealthy man named Potipher, who took him into his home as a slave.  God gave Joseph favor everywhere he went, and soon he had favor with his new master.  Joseph kept getting promoted, but another unjust thing happened.  Potipher’s wife tried to entice him with having an affair, but because he was a man of integrity he would have nothing to do with her.  Lying to her husband, she said that Joseph had attacked her, which caused him to be imprisoned for something he hadn’t done.  Joseph tried to help others the entire time he was in prison.  He never complained, and because he had a proper attitude in suffering, God eventually delivered and promoted him.  He ultimately had so much authority in Egypt that not one else in the entire land was above him except Pharaoh himself.  God also vindicated Joseph concerning the situation with his brothers, in that they had to come to Joseph for food when the whole land was in a state of famine.  Joseph still displayed Godly attitude by not mistreating them even though they deserved it.  What his brothers meant for harm, turned out to be good.

The complaining of the Israelites opened a door for the enemy who came in and kept a generation from going into the Promise Land.

Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.

God told the Israelites, “You have dwelt long enough on this mountain.”

Perhaps you have been around the same mountain many times and are now ready to press on.  If you want to move forward, you have to remember that you will not move forward in a positive way as long as your thoughts and conversations are filled with complaining.