Trial and Error
Trial and Error
Remember that the Lord your God led you on the entire journey these 40 years in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands. (Deut. 8:2)
Observe Where We Failed
Today’s verse comes from Moses’ address to the Israelites as they’re camped across the Jordan River from the promised land. They are just days away from doing what their people could have done forty years earlier had they been obedient and not doubted God.
Over and over again in Exodus and Numbers, we see Israel described as rebellious, stiff-necked, and forgetful. And today we often still struggle with the same, wrong heart attitudes that the Israelites did. In this piece of Moses’ address, we see God’s purpose for their trial and perhaps for ours.
Regain Our Focus
This text is both comforting and convicting. It’s comforting in the sense that God is always with us and has a purpose for allowing us to go through trials. It’s convicting, however, in that He exposes our pride, impatience, doubt, prejudice, and ingratitude along the way. Simply put, we have two options in how we respond to hardship: turn to God or grumble. Rather than working harder to find our own solutions, we must spend time in prayer and in the Word. Allow God to reveal Himself, His love, and His purpose in whatever trials you face.
Bottom Line
God often uses our struggles to test our heart and teach us more about Him. Use this time to adjust your expectations and put your focus back on Him.