Devotional Fuel to Reboot Your Mind

Isaiah 43:1, “But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” ESV

Psalm 100:3, “Know that the LORD is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.”

Exodus 33:17, “So the LORD said to Moses, “I will do this very thing you have asked, for you have found favor in My sight, and I know you by name.”

Did you realize God knows your name? Think about that for a minute. When someone says your name when talking to you, doesn’t that make the conversation more personal? When you talk to God, realize He knows your very name. He created you and as a Christian, you are part of God’s people, and He knows you by name, cares about your needs, and sees you.

We see God’s omniscience – God has complete knowledge of everything, as Psalm 139:1-6 states: He knows when you get up, go to work, go on walks, travel in your car, go to church, and when you miss it, and when you go to sleep. He even knows what you are going to say before you say it. God knows our thoughts because He sees our heart’s condition and knows what is wrong and what the solution is to correct our wrong thinking (Romans 12:1-2).

God’s omnipotence, which is His sovereignty, means He has the power to work out everything according to His divine purpose and will. David declared in Psalm 138:8a, “The LORD will work out His plans for my life.” His power is inexhaustible, and ours is not (Ephesians 1:11). He will bring us through the difficulties we face.

Yes, God knows your name and has redeemed and justified you, and you are in the lifelong process of sanctification – becoming more like Christ, growing in holiness. God is always preparing you for what is ahead. He is making you to be holy, as 1 Corinthians 1:30 declares, “And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption.“

God created you in His image. Your life has purpose, and His grace is sufficient for you, even in your weaknesses, which can become opportunities for His strength to shine through, as 2 Corinthians 12:9 states, “And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” LSB.

Seek the person of Jesus who died for your sins. Don’t worry about today and tomorrow. Make the gospel and reading God’s Word your passion. “Every day of our Christian experience,” writes Jerry Bridges, “should be a day of relating to God on the basis of His grace alone. We are not only saved by grace, but we also live by grace every day.” This needs to be the center of our lives because God knows your name; you are redeemed, justified, and being sanctified, all due to His grace. Remember that throughout your day.

Listen to Phil Wickham, Crowder – It Really Is Amazing Grace (Performance).

Matthew 17:20, “And He said to them, “Because of your little faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.” LSB

Do you ever feel like you have things pretty much under control, and then something new pops up and undermines your confidence and you are facing something perhaps the size of a mountain that will not move? This new problem then consumes all your energy, emotions, and your thoughts over and over again. So often we complain, gripe, and get irritated, and then discouragement and disappointment cast their cloud over us. We may even end up lashing out at others and spiraling into hurtful words that erupt from us like a bubbling, effervescent volcano. But are we spending more of our emotions fretting rather than praying and committing the problem to God? Oh, we know and can quote Romans 8:28, “All things work together for good to those that love the Lord.” Then we can also profess that God controls all things, but we want a quick fix. We live as though someone else’s approval, or good health, or avoiding conflict, or getting our own way, matters more than trusting and loving God. These involve our idols, but God says, “You shall have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3. We want to be free of hurt or pain, crave being respected and admired, have high expectations of how people should treat us or act, and the list goes on.

We need to do two things. First of all, we need to have faith, no matter how small it is, such as even the size of a mustard seed (see the picture of earrings featuring mustard seeds), and give it to God to cause it to grow and believe He will answer our prayer. We need to say with the psalmist in Psalm 73:25, “Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides you.” Then as David declared in Psalm 23:1, “The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need.” The second thing we need to pray is” God make these verses true in my life. Take away the discouragement I feel.” Pray that your understanding of the promises of God will give you added faith to believe God will conquer and move any mountain you have in your life, be it involving family, your job, health, financial needs, being treated unjustly, unmet expectations, etc. The list of God’s promises to us is far longer than our list of complaints about anyone or anything that concerns us.

Jesus rebuked His disciples for their insufficient faith (Matthew 17:20) yet did not condemn them. He was their teacher and was preparing them for what they would need in their future ministry when He was gone – faith in the power of God. Our faith doesn’t move the mountains. It is the power of God, but faith must be present in order to do so. The mustard seed was the smallest seed imaginable, and God put it in this verse as a visual picture. There is great potential even in a little faith when God is with us, making sure there are no idols of disobedience in our way. Having a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith will turn our eyes away from our immovable mountain and look to Christ, and to all He accomplished on the cross, for more faith.

Listen to Brandan Lake & Phil Wickham, Naomi Raine -When I Look at the Cross.

Philippians 1:6, “And I am certain that God who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” NLT

Aren’t we all in need of hope when we go through the struggles in life? Some days we sail along pretty smoothly, basking in the peace, and then something comes up that is a serious dilemma, and we have to figure out what in the world to do. Wouldn’t life be grand if we had more days without stress or discomfort? It is then easy to feel we shouldn’t have to go through anything unsettling. Yet Jesus told His disciples before He was betrayed and arrested, in John 16:33, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

As Christians, we can claim the peace of Christ even in the most tumultuous struggles, for we are not alone. Christ’s presence is with us at all times as we have the promise of Deuteronomy 31:8, “It is the LORD who goes before you He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” ESV. Moses declared this to Joshua, who would take over leading the Israelites, since Moses was 120 yrs. old and was no longer able to lead them. God has given us this promise today as well, which gives us hope.

So what about the common slogans that sound spiritually comforting but are not found in the Bible:

• This too will pass.
• Things are going to get better.
• God helps those who help themselves.
• Everything happens for a reason.

Biblical hope is anchored in the Word of God, which addresses the heart issues behind all of our behavior. These slogans sound good, but do not measure up to Scripture. Perhaps you made a wrong decision – it is not the end of your story. You can choose to follow Romans 12:1-2 and transform your mind by intentional choices to obey God. This is the hope of the gospel: living a cross-centered life and making Jesus the Lord of your life. Jesus promises Himself as the solution. Since God initiated our salvation, He will continue to transform our lives and hearts throughout our lifetimes amid our trials and sorrows. We need to ask, “God, what do you want me to learn from this?” This is His responsibility to each believer: to realign our hearts’ desires, motives, and emotions.

God is sovereign and works all things according to His will (Romans 8:28-29). Sin, suffering, and our own choices will bring consequences, is what the Bible teaches. Romans 8:28-29 does not say all things are good or that we will always know why we are suffering. Look at Job, Joseph, and Paul in the Bible, who were all afflicted. Yet God protected them for His divine purpose and for their good due to their faithfulness to Him. God never told them why – what the reason for their suffering was.

Truth shapes our faith anchored in God’s Word. Suffering in our trials exposes the idols of our lives, reminding us of God’s faithfulness. Biblical hope anchors us in Christ, who is the solution. Stay confident in God’s promise over your life from Philippians 1:6, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” LSB. This is both true and comforting.

Listen to CeCe Winans – Come Jesus Come (Official Video)

2 Timothy 3:16,17, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” NLT.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for corrections, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” ESV.

Where do you go to find answers for your dilemmas in life? Some are turning to counterfeit sources that may appear appealing, but God, who created us, knows what is wrong with us, sees the condition of our hearts, and has His diagnosis for all within the Bible. God’s prescription and solution is to have faith in Christ, which is revealed to us in His Word. The Bible is a textbook that has the answers to solve the source of any problem and transform lives to coming to a saving faith in Christ and then to tranform believers in to His image. Romans 15:4 declares, “Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.”

But you may feel your trial is overwhelming you. Is it at times consuming you? Do certain things or people drive you crazy? I have been there too. Hebrews 4:12 states, “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow, it exposes our inner most thoughts and desires.” God’s Word reveals who we are, what we place our identity in, our desires and motives, and why we have anxiety, frustration, and disappointments when we try to control what is God’s responsibility versus what is ours. God’s Word, hidden in our hearts keeps us from sin and is our divine counselor, and the means to our sanctification (John 17:17), built on God’s grace.

The Bible is not a collection of stories. It is a recording of events of writers who were inspired by God, through the Holy Spirit, who wrote down God’s message. The purpose of the Scriptures is for us to know God, have life through Jesus Christ, and be fully equipped to do His will.

Some of us go to our chiropractor for a needed spinal realignment. Our hearts need regular realignment through God’s Word, which is filled with instruction to correct us when we are wrong and to expose our innermost thoughts and desires. Pastor Josh Howerton posted a recent YouTube video titled “A Stunning Study Reveals the Supernatural Power of Reading the Bible in the Life of a Christian, by the Institute for Biblical Research. Suppose someone reads the Bible once a week; there is not much difference. If someone reads it 2-3 days/week, it is negligible but not significant. But if someone reads the Bible 4 or more times a week, everything begins to change: a 50% reduction in anxiety, 407% start to memorize Scripture, 59% less likely to view pornography, 228% more likely to share their faith, 30% less likely to struggle with loneliness.” As you read the Bible, ask God to give you wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Any knowledge you gain may that help you love others more and be humble. God’s Word will transform your heart and guide your conduct in living a cross-centered life that becomes more Christ-like and equips you for whatever life throws your way by God’s abundant grace.

Listen to Phil Wickham – It’s Always Been You.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” ESV.

“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong in Christ Jesus.” NLT

Do you ever wonder what God’s will is for you? These verses put it very simply, as Paul wrote them to strengthen the Thessalonian Christians in their faith and assure them of Christ’s return. We need to express gratitude and thank God for His faithfulness and goodness in our lives in ALL things, and then to “never stop praying.” So how can we be more prayerful? “There is a simple yet effective way for the soldier of Christ to neutralize the prince’s air defense and attack system: When you get a negative thought, pray a positive prayer. It sounds simplistic, but it works. It will neutralize the enemy . . . The enemy will continually put things before our minds to try to cause us to stumble. If you pray every time this happens, you will turn a negative into a positive.” Quote from Idiotic Things People Did In The Bible, Ray Comfort, page 51.

Despite any Sauls or Goliaths we may have going on in our lives, we can combat our fears and bitterness by living out 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, because we can have joy because of God’s sovereignty. Nothing occurs outside His knowledge and permission, as Psalm 103:19 declares, “The LORD has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything.” God’s omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence should reassure us that He knows all things and is right there with us. Psalm 139: 2b & 4 states, “You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD.” Yes, God knows our hearts, and that is always the issue. There are things we get “concerned” about that are beyond our control and therefore God’s responsibility, so we can pray and trust Him for the salvation of friends and family, health/illness, feelings of others, friendships, our future, to name a few. When we attempt to control what is God’s responsibility, it results in anxiety, frustration, and disappointment. Our responsibility is to honor God, be obedient to God’s Word, meditate and study the Bible, pray, be involved in a Bible-preaching church, not be lazy, have time with friends, have proper effort at work and home and live out Deuteronomy 6:5, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”

If a particular fear keeps popping up in your mind, pray a positive prayer each time it occurs. That is how to keep praying continually. Trust is the opposite of fear, as Jesus taught and said in Matthew 8:26, “Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith! Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.”

Praying a positive prayer when I get a negative thought has been transforming for me this past week. Try it – suddenly God will give you a great calmness, just as He did with the wind and waves to the disciples in that boat when that storm struck. Give thanks to Him and don’t stop praying. Pray a positive prayer.

Listen to Matthew West, Don’t Stop Praying (Music Video)

Psalm 139:23-24 ESV, “Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

LSB, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts. And see if there be any hurtful way in me. And lead me in the everlasting way.”

NLT, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

Would you dare to pray Psalm 139:23-24? I was recently challenged to do so in order to biblically understand idolatry and how it drifts us away from the gospel and the Savior that should be the center of our lives. Our idols effect the way that we live and can detract us away from glorifying God. I have been reading in the Old Testament and seeing how often the Israelites turned from God and worshipped other idols. It says in Judges 2:17b, 19b & 20a, “How quickly they turned away from the path of their ancestors, who had walked in obedience to the LORD’s commands. And they refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways. So the LORD burned with anger against Israel.” We ask ourselves, how could they do this after all God had done for them? Yet don’t we do the same when we are tempted in our desires as we demand, “I want, and I will do whatever it takes to get it, no matter what, in order to be happy, fulfilled, etc.” Anything that becomes excessive and out-of-balance desire is an idol. “Remember that an idol is anything or anyone that begins to capture our hearts, minds, and affections more than God.” Brad Bigney, Gospel Treason. Betraying The Gospel With Hidden Idols, page 131. Praying Psalm 139:23-24 is an honorable challenge to pray and delve into.

We all need to weed out our “bad fruit” (Matthew 7:16-20), “Put-Off”- negative choices resulting from our idols and actions of temptations we have given into and needing to navigate to “Put Off” and “Put On”, mirroring Christ’s love in obedience to His commands.

PUT OFF – Galatians 5:19-20

• Hatred, bitterness, fears, anger, quarreling, jealousy, envy, moodiness, irritability, impatience, frustration, depression, and immoral behavior.

PUT ON – Galatians 5:22-23

• Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

In praying Psalm 139:23-24, the ESV says, “see if there be any grievous way in me.” The LSB says, “see if there be any hurtful way in me.” The NLT says, “point out anything in me that offends you.” These are valid questions to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal as we pray these verses, to grow deeper in our relationship with the Lord and to follow Him faithfully.

Each of these versions in the Bible depicts having stressful thoughts – “anxious thoughts.” The solution is to hand over to God anything that causes us to be “anxious,” as Philippians 4:6-7 teaches us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” When we focus on God, we find clarity and strength to overcome anxiety. Let’s face it, anxiety robs us of joy, and no matter what age one is, a teenager to those living in the “mature” ages of life, when we attempt to control what is God’s responsibility, it results in anxiety, frustration and disappointment. It requires focusing on affections that have taken our focus away from God – drifting away from the gospel, of any goals, motives, desires, cravings that we allow to become entrenched and to rule in Christ’s place.

So, think about what you desire to pursue and what you look to for fulfillment? What do you pray for? How do you define success or failure in a given situation? Remember, anything, even a good thing, can become an idol when it is excessive and out of balance when it becomes and defines my very identity and sense of worth, rather than who I am in Christ. It could be our spouse or boyfriend, our children, grandchildren, our career, material stuff, and even our own ministry.

Praying and meditating on Psalm 139:23-24, I challenge you, as I have been challenged, to pray these verses as your prayer. Then keep your focus on Jesus and the gospel, delight in Him and what He has done for you on the cross.

Listen to “Where Can I Go – Psalm 139” Ellie Holcomb.

Deuteronomy 30:19-20, “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the LORD your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the LORD, you will live long in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

Deuteronomy 30 was part of Moses’s final address to the Israelites, a final instruction before his death. Moses was 120 years old and was about to die and would call on Joshua to take over the leadership of Israel and guide the people to the Promised Land. Moses gave them God’s message: choose life or death; obey God, and you will therefore continue to receive His blessings. He told them that this command (verse 11) was not too difficult, not beyond their reach, and already in their hearts because God’s laws are written in the Bible and evident to all. God has told us everything we need to know; therefore, disobedience comes from an act of our own will, not a lack of knowledge.

God gives us the choice to obey Him and does not force His will on us. Whether to follow or reject Him, He lets us decide, and He wants everyone to choose life. Truly loving Him with all our heart, soul, and mind (Deut. 6:4-5; Matt. 22:37) is essential, fostering devotion and wholehearted commitment in our daily walk with Him. It requires a daily reaffirming commitment to obey God, and our heart’s desire must be to love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind (Deut. 6:4-5; Matt. 22:37) in all of our motives, desires, goals, and cravings.

The life that is found in a relationship with God gives one peace and joy, as is promised in Romans 15:13, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Note how this verse connects joy and peace with trusting in God.

Jesus offers everyone a unique peace that is different from any other source, as John 14:27 promises, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Jesus encourages us not to fear, as fear magnifies the enemy and diminishes our perception of God. But the peace He gives, poured into our hearts, is filled by His grace and mercy. Yes, we all face challenges every day. But our emotions must be deeply rooted in our relationship with God, reflecting His character in our motives and interactions with others. Moses commanded the people in Deut. 30:11,14-16: “This command I am giving you today is not too difficult for you, and it is not beyond your reach. No, the message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart so that you can obey it. “Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster. For I command you this day to love the LORD your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways.” God will come to us wherever we are. Come to Him. Obey Him, honor Him, commit yourself firmly to Him, then love Him with all your heart, soul, and mind, to continue to receive His blessings. However, God is not like Santa Claus. He is looking for ways to make us more Christ-like and wants to show us how to respond when we don’t get our own way. God’s Word brings us back to the Savior, back to the gospel. This is the key to your life.

Listen to Phil Wickham, Jamie MacDonald – Flowers

John 7:38-39 ESV, “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”

“Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.” (When he said, “living water” he was speaking of the Spirit who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not entered into his glory.).” NLT

In John 7:38, Jesus summarizes the meaning of several teaching passages that picture the Holy Spirit’s inward work in a believer as a river of water flowing out to bring blessings to others. The Holy Spirit empowers us and is available to everyone who believes in Jesus Christ as their Savior. Jesus promised in John 14:15-16, “If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.” Every believer has the Holy Spirit within them (Romans 8:9). By faith, we have access to the Holy Spirit’s power each day. But how often do we access this as we go about our day-to-day duties?

Rivers have a course they follow. Rivers are natural streams of water that flow from their source to larger bodies of water, such as lakes or oceans, and have a defined path or channel that flows toward a lake or another river. A river always flows downhill. Much like our emotions, desires, actions, and motives flow from the source from which all our actions flow – our heart. Proverbs 4:23 warns us, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”

For the one who puts their trust and faith in Jesus, He offers a perpetual river of living water, due to the gospel. “Essentially Jesus said, “Put your loving trust in Me, enthrone Me in your heart, and life and abundance will flow out.” Blue Letter Bible, David Guzik Commentary. We should become channels through whom the overflowing rivers of blessings we receive can be passed on to others in need through us, from the Holy Spirit. Whatever your spiritual gifts and talents are, be it leadership, encouragement, showing compassion, serving, etc., use them so that the blessings flow through you to others for God’s glory and reflect His grace.

Every day, we get one day closer to what God wants us to be to finish well, and it is an ongoing process called sanctification. May we not dam up how we can impact others by keeping the blessings in our lives, given to us by the Holy Spirit, lest we become stagnant, cynical, and mean-spirited. We need to have our blessings flow like a river, for the freshness is in the flow, as we guard our hearts, for which all our actions flow. Live on your daily dependence of the Holy Spirit to fill you continually and give you a whole new way to look at life. Ask Him to keep your rivers flowing from living a cross-centered life, from which the source of life flows out of the heart – “rivers of living water (John 7:28).” True faith in Jesus leads to a profound spiritual transformation. It emphasizes that believers will experience a flow of life-giving water from within, symbolizing spiritual vitality and abundance, carried with refreshment, joy, and the power of the Holy Spirit, and acknowledging that the power comes through you, not from you (quote from Fred Smith).”

Listen to I Speak Jesus (feat. Steven Musso), Charity Gayle.

Numbers 12:1-3, “While they were at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because he had married a Cushite woman. They said, “Has the LORD spoken only through Moses? Hasn’t he spoken through us, too? But the LORD heard them (Now Moses was very humble – more humble than any other person on earth).”

What do you remember about Miriam in the Bible? Don’t courage, bravery, a prophetess, and quick thinking under pressure all come to mind? When I read Numbers 12 about a year ago in my Chronological Bible reading, what struck me was how well it illustrated the problem of sibling rivalry, especially when a younger sibling is more successful than the older one. Critical conversations of, “It’s not fair!” But last week, as I was reading Numbers 12, I saw something I hadn’t fully realized before in this chapter. It points to the sin of jealousy, envy, slander, and gossip that Miriam and Aaron committed against Moses’s position and influence. Miriam and Aaron (Moses was their brother) desired recognition. They couldn’t find fault with Moses, so they chose to attack his character by criticizing his wife and marriage which Miriam took the lead in. God shows His wrath against their criticism of attacking Moses’ character in marrying a Cushite woman (prejudiced remarks) and was spiritually proud in presenting himself as the only spokesman of God to Israel, which was not true. God rebukes them in verse 7b-9, “Of all my house, He [Moses] is the one I trust. I speak to him face to face, clearly, and not in riddles! He sees the LORD as he is. So why were you not afraid to criticize my servant Moses?” God was angry with Miriam and Aaron, with their sin that motivated them to make their accusation from their selfish pride, and for rebelling against His authority and sovereignty.

Miriam was the instigator, and her brother, Aaron, followed her into their jealousy of Moses’ top position as God’s spokesman for the Israelites, even though they were prophets as well. They were both foolish. Yet Moses didn’t fight back at their unjust criticism. It is thought that Moses may have just trusted God to handle this family drama, or he may have been so emotionally drained that he was too tired to deal with it. Have you been unjustly criticized at times? That is a hurt that can go deep, yet we cannot control other people’s thoughts, desires, words, choices, actions, and responses. We can only control our own.

So, God punishes Miriam with the physical disease of leprosy for punishment of her insubordination, which reflected her heart. Numbers 12:11-12, we see Aaron recognize the gravity of the situation, was swayed by his sister, and pleads for God’s mercy for his sister and is humbled as, “He cried out to Moses, “Oh my master! Please don’t punish us for this sin we have so foolishly committed. Don’t let her be like a  stillborn baby, already decayed at birth.” Then Moses adds, who has been silent all this time: “So Moses cried out to the LORD, “O God, I beg you, please heal her!” Numbers 12:13. Both brothers had deep compassion for their sister Miriam. So, God punishes Miriam for her smug attitude toward not only Moses but also against God’s authority, with leprosy for the whole nation to know it, and then orders her to be outside the camp for seven days. The punishment was lenient, showing God’s mercy while exercising effective discipline.

How we need to pray for ourselves not to be foolish, as Miriam and Aaron were in this situation, which caused them much grief. The sins of jealousy, envy, and lack of contentment can often lead to making wrong and selfish choices. Miriam and Aaron were not perfect, and we see they had flaws, too. They made a pretty dramatic mistake in Numbers 12, and Miriam received God’s mercy for her sin through God’s discipline. Miriam and Aaron put their past sin behind them of “why him and not me?” after this situation and moved forward in God’s freedom and forgiveness to be used by God, alongside Moses, to lead the Israelites to the promised land. Miriam is listed in Micah 6:4, along with Aaron and Moses, as the ones God used to bring the Israelites out of Egypt—her reputation God restored.

Listen to I am a testimony of the goodness of the Lord! Crystal Gayle.