Never Satisfied

Bill Brinkworth

The people of Israel cried out because of their long bondage in the hands of the merciless Egyptians, and God delivered them. As God physically led them to a place He would give them to live, they still were not content with seeing the presence of the Almighty and His mighty deeds. They began to murmur and complain again. God was angered and sent a fire that consumed many (Numbers 11:1-2), because of their sin. Many died until the man of God pleaded for Him to stop His judgment.

Did they learn their lesson? Two verses later, they let the sin of discontentment again get control. They talked of all the good things they had in Egypt. They licked their lips over the thoughts of the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic they had in Egypt. They just were not happy with what God had given them.

It is not mentioned that they remembered the bad things in the land. It is not mentioned that they recalled their slavery, lack of religious freedom, lack of freedom to do what they wished, pain, misery, and suffering. All they could do was remember the “good times.”

Sound familiar? Many get their lives changed when they get born-again. God cleaned up many a dirty, ruined life. Drunks and wife-beaters get changed to wonderful, respectable, sober, non-violent husbands. Liars and cheats have their lives completely changed, and their lives become lives of honesty. Their character becomes forthright and outstanding. Criminal lives become lives of outstanding citizenship. All lives become changed when they get saved. They may not be perfect, but they are not the same lives they had before they were saved. They have so much to be content with, but then discontentment rears its ugly head. Complaining and dissatisfaction creep into their conversation. Soon, they are no different then the children of Israel were. They begin to lust for the “good ole days.”

Let the truth be known! There were no good ole days. They were days that sowed sin, that you may be reaping to this day. They were days of committing sin that scarred your life and hurt others around you. It is amazing how a mind can change the memory of a perilous past into something that seems far better than it was. We do exactly what the people of Israel did.

To avoid non-productive murmuring and discouraging complaining here are some biblical truths that can help you avoid the downward spiral of those sins:

Remember that we are naturally never satisfied. We always want more! We have to get control of what the flesh desires and let the spirit of God do the guiding.
“Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.” Proverb 27:20
Let your thought-life and conversation never be about things you do not have or should not have. Thinking and talking about them then leads to the desire for the real things.
"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Hebrews 13:5
Realize that the world and God owe you nothing. Nothing this world has to offer is permanent anyway! Even that big house you have is only a pup-tent, because, pilgrim, you are only passing through this life.
“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.” I Timothy 6:6-7
Be happy with what you have or what you are going through. No matter where you find yourself, be content.
“ Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” Philippians 4:11-12

Anyone can complain. It takes no intelligence or character to do so, but there never is any gain in doing so. Grumbling also will never make one happy or change any situation. It will always make situations worse!. However, being content and finding peace in any situation will help you find yourself happy with what you have and will guarantee a more happy, contented person.

"A man's contentment is in his mind, not in the extent of his possessions."
— Spurgeon

This article was featured in The Bible View #158.