The Doorpost: Having faith in the face of challenges

And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.
Hebrews 3:18-19

Why did the children of Israel who God delivered from Egypt end up dying in the wilderness? What did they do that kept them from entering the Promised Land?

Was it sexual immorality? Was it murder? Was it bearing false witness, stealing, or covetousness? Was it idolatry or taking God’s Name in vain? Was it breaking the Sabbath? Was it drinking, smoking, or swearing?

The reason God wouldn’t let them enter the Promised Land was because they didn’t trust Him. When He told them to go in and possess the land, they shrank back in fear. This had been their pattern from the time they left Egypt. Whenever there was a problem, instead of trusting God to provide for them, they grumbled and complained. This unbelieving, distrustful attitude resulted in some of them committing some of the sins named above, but their root sin was their lack of faith in God’s goodness. What an affront to God!

What challenges are each of us facing right now? What are we doing to meet them? Are we depending on our own strength? Are we giving up because we think the challenge is too big? Or are we trusting God to provide for us, depending on and believing in His power and goodness? Let’s be careful not miss out on His blessing because of our unbelief.