What Is Taking So Long?
The other day I misread a text message. It didn’t create conflict or major issues but it did cause me some confusion. As it turns out, I was in a hurry when I read the message. I keyed in on one word and responded based on that single word. When I went back later and read the message more slowly I realized I had missed some important details. Thankfully, it ended up being a minor thing.
Often, I find myself reading Scripture too fast. Sometimes simple phrases can convey profound truths. No matter how many times I read the Bible I am always seeing something new and fresh that I’ve never noticed before. Numbers 21:4 is one of those verses. It says this: “From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient because of the journey.” At first blush, this verse gives us information about this particular stage of Israel’s wilderness wanderings. But when I slow down there is a lot of truth packed into this simple verse.
"The people became impatient because of the journey.” Throughout Scripture, when God leads His people, He often does not give them a complete roadmap of the journey ahead. Often God only gives us the next step. At the beginning, we might be excited about stepping out in faith, but when the journey begins to take longer than we expect, our attitudes begin to change. In the case of the Israelites, this was not the first time they had experienced this. When God first delivered the people from Egypt, He did not take them on the shortest path to the Promised Land (Exodus 13:17). Yet, no matter how many times we experience God’s faithfulness, our journey causes frequent frustration.
Lord, why didn’t you open this door? Lord, why did this person not respond? Lord, how come this is taking so long? Lord, why is this so difficult? It isn’t wrong to ask these questions. If we are honest these feelings are probably a regular occurrence in our lives. The problem is when we let the journey define God’s character for us. That’s what happened to the Israelites.
The impatience of God’s people actually led to their rebellion. Numbers 21:5 tells us this frustration and impatience spurred the people to speak against God and against Moses. Their complaint is: “Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?” The people concluded that because their journey was difficult that God had failed them. They concluded that because Moses did not lead them on an easy path they were doomed.
If we are not careful, we will find ourselves thinking in a similar mindset to the Israelites. Just because we envision an easier, smoother, or more prosperous path for ourselves does not mean that God has abandoned us. Sometimes the easy, frustration-free path we envision would actually be detrimental. 2020 has been the kind of journey that has left even the most spiritually mature person frustrated at times. God is working in our world, in your church, in your family and in your life. God is leading us. Don’t get impatient because of the journey.