But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness,
And tested God in the desert.
And He gave them their request,
But sent leanness into their soul.—Psalm 106:14-15
And the people spoke against God and against Moses: "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread."—Numbers 21:5
The Bible says that the eyes of man are never satisfied. In Philippians 4:10-23 Paul expresses his thanks to Philippians for their gift to him, but undergirding this whole passage is a picture of a man who is content with whatever God brings His way.
Paul’s joy was in doing the will of His God...it came from the gospel being preached. It was independent of His circumstances. (And his circumstances from an earthly perspective were rarely good). Paul’s focus was ALWAYS outward. Even in thanking the Philippians for their gift his joy is the fruit that abounds to their account. (Phil 4:17)
A contented person will wait on God and trust in His providence. Their joy is found in their God....it is independent of their circumstances. They are satisfied with little and are focused on the needs of others.
The Israelites primary focus in prayer was on their physical comfort rather than spiritual desires.
And He gave them their requests but sent leanness into their soul. Sometimes we “fret and fume” like children until we get what we want. More often than not our getting what WE want brings more bitterness and grief because the “getting” brings more disappointment.
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.—Galatians 2:20
Oh Father...May our joy and our desire be for those things that are spiritually discerned.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For "who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?"But we have the mind of Christ.—1 Cor 2:12-16
