|
|
Numbers 32 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
The LORD became angry with the people and made them wander in the wilderness forty years until that whole generation that had displeased him was dead.
Numbers 32:13 GNB
I found myself wondering why God didn’t operate with optimal efficiency. In our western culture, efficiency is the name of the game. This is why we are obsessed with multi-tasking and working long hours. We want to get things done so we can free ourselves to get more things done. So taking that mindset to this story, I was puzzled as to why God would even allow these people to continue to live. It sounds harsh, but, if He knew they would never enter the Promised Land, allowing them to live and wander for another 40 years seems like a waste of time.
Have you ever questioned the timing or decisions of God? Are you currently questioning? I’m sure there was a good reason for allowing them to wander. The first question we must ask ourselves is, do we really believe that? In your current situation where God is not moving as fast as you would like or He is allowing something to happen that you don’t understand, are you humble enough to believe that He’s in control? Do you agree that His timing is always perfect?
I believe God allows us to struggle because He loves us. He wants us to learn and grow but that only happens with struggle. One of the most difficult challenges for an efficiency-minded leader is walking alongside another potential leader as they stumble and fall. It’s natural for us to want to jump in a fix things. In this case, it would have been much quicker and easier for God to wipe this generation away and start fresh. But God knew they needed those 40 years of wandering. They needed the struggle in order to grow. They needed to understand that when they rebel against God’s ways, consequences will follow.
Furthermore, the younger generation who was watching needed to understand that this would soon be them one day. They would have to make a decision to follow their fathers or follow the Lord.
So, there are many challenging questions to consider. Is God encouraging you to grow in strength and perseverance by allowing a struggle to continue? How are you responding to it? Another question to consider is, where are you stepping in and “fixing things” when God actually wants you to step back and allow failure. As crazy as that sounds, many times we stunt the spiritual growth of others by rescuing them from a growing experience. It’s tough, but necessary. Where do you need to grow in your trust of His sovereignty?