The Israelites did their fair share of complaining. Many of the complaints began with “If only . . .” as in Exodus 16:3.
Two responses come to mind. One is that there is danger in getting so comfortable with my current situation that I am not available to make the changes that God has ordained for me. In other words, comfort can increase my resistance to needed change.
The second response is that when things get difficult, it is easy to remember only the good things about my previous situation. Rather than focusing on where I am and where God wants me to go, the trap is in focusing on where I’ve been and why it was better than where I am now.
The Apostle Paul gives us the antidote to this in Philippians 3:113-14. Forgetting the past and pressing on is his recommendation. This makes sense in that no matter how good or bad the past was, it is past and cannot be changed or relived.
The future, however, is a different story. If I really believe that I am in relationship with the God that could so powerfully free Israel from bondage, why would I be anything other than optimistic about the future? Jesus’ promise to always be with us will offset any difficulty that I may encounter. I am not alone, no matter how difficult it may become.
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