originally published 9/1/19
“How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them?” (Number 14:11)
When the 12 spies returned from their survey of the Promised Land, 10 of them felt that the people of Israel were hopelessly outmatched by the inhabitants of Canaan. Their report created great fear among the people who chose to listen to them rather than to Caleb and Joshua who kept saying that the task was able to be accomplished with God. But the people showed their lack of faith by siding with the bad report rather than the good report. This is when God asked the question quoted above, “I’ve done all these incredible things among them, how long are they going to keep doubting me?”
It’s easy for us now to look back at them now and judge them harshly thinking we would have sided with Joshua and Caleb. But the same issue of fear and worry resulting in paralysis still points the finger at us sometimes. How many times have we let fear keep us from doing what we believe God has called us to do? How many times have we let worry steal our joy?
I’m concerned that we often rationalize these very real struggles too easily with the “I’m just human” excuse. Rather, I think we should allow God’s question of the Israelites be directed at us when fear or worry gains a controlling influence in our lives.
Spurgeon says, “Jesus has never given the slightest ground for suspicion, and it is hard to be doubted by those to whom our conduct is uniformly affectionate and true.” Could the fear and worry that arise from our doubts really be hurtful to our Lord? When He has been so faithful to us individually, corporately and throughout history, is it possible that our fear is sometimes met with the same question that God asked of the Israelites, “How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them?”