And the Lord said to Moses, How long will this people provoke (spurn, despise) Me? And how long will it be before they believe Me [trusting in, relying on, clinging to Me], for all the signs which I have performed among them? – Numbers 14:11, Amplified Bible (AMP)

We had a family outing recently that took a rather exciting turn. My wife’s side of the family threw my father-in-law a surprise birthday party, and we had a wonderful day at the lake. By evening time, though, we had had all the fun we could stand, so we packed up around 6:30 pm and headed back to my sister-in-law’s house for a rest-filled evening. Or, so we thought.

Around 9:30 pm, we received a call from a neighbor that there was a fire at the lake house! Several family members rushed out to the property to address the issue. Thankfully, by the time they arrived, all was well. The fire department had already come and gone, having successfully doused the small forest fire that threatened, but never reached, the house.

When the folks returned from the lake house, one of my brothers-in-law quickly confessed that the excitement was all his fault. Not long before leaving the lake, he had thrown into the woods the coals we had used to grill burgers and hot dogs for lunch. Having not cooked for several hours by the time we left, he thought the coals had cooled, so he discarded them accordingly. Unfortunately, he was wrong, and the hot coals sparked a fire that, in the end, did nothing more than give the neighbors a little fireworks show.

So very often, we ignite the fire of God’s wrath by throwing coals of discontent His way. Choosing to forget God’s promises, God’s love, and examples of God’s past care for our needs, we choose rather to whine and complain about virtually anything that doesn’t go our way. When we throw such coals of discontent at His feet, God becomes angry with us, and rightfully so. Whenever you do and do and do for others, and then those others repay you with ill words and sour faces, how do you feel? God feels the same way when we greet His graciousness with such, and we have no right to blame Him for doing so.

When things are tough, resist the temptation to murmur against God. Instead, thank God for the blessings that He has bestowed upon you. Remember the promises He has already kept for you. Consider the fact that, if Christ was willing to give up everything to save you from the Hell that threatened your eternity, He is also willing to do whatever is necessary to save you from the danger that threatens you now. Although your deliverance may not come in the form or in the timing you seek, it will come. Simply dive into God’s Word while you wait, and trust Him for the victory that He is surely sending your way.