GOD AIN’T PETTY HE’S TOLERANT

The Israelites in the desert remind us to be thankful, simply because God Ain’t Petty, He’s Tolerant. This was made clear in the Bible was the story of the Israelites behavior in the desert. Their behavior exceeded intolerable on any human scale and was reprehensible on so many levels.  Wow! This is a stop and ask yourself moment: Have you ever felt like you were pushing the limits of someone's patience? If so, imagine how God feels about us pushing the limits with Him sometimes! 

For all of our bad behavior, still, we find that God Ain’t Petty, He’s Tolerant. He shows us an incredible amount of tolerance. He did so for the Israelites repeatedly. As they wandered in the desert for 40 years, they were almost NEVER satisfied. They were often complaining and rebelling. They never thoroughly appreciated their many blessings.

Let's dive into three key instances of God’s tolerance with the Israelites and how it reflects on us today.

1, The Israelites and Manna from Heaven (Exodus 16): After escaping Egypt, the Israelites were quick to complain about the lack of food in the desert. However, instead of getting angry or abandoning them, God provided manna from heaven every day. He tolerated their grumbling and met their needs miraculously. Then, after God gave them “heavenly food”, they still weren’t satisfied. Their complaint next was about not having meat. Again, God Ain’t Petty, He’s Tolerant and still patient. So He sent quails to their camp to satisfy their meat craving.

2. The Golden Calf (Exodus 32): While Moses was up on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments, the Israelites grew impatient and made a golden calf to worship. This was a huge betrayal, but God showed remarkable tolerance. There were consequences, He didn’t abandon them. Instead, He continued to lead them, showing them mercy and giving them another chance to follow Him.

3. Korah’s Rebellion (Numbers 16): There was a moment when Korah and his followers challenged Moses’ leadership and God’s plan. Instead of immediately wiping them out, God allowed the situation to unfold, giving time for repentance. Even when the rebellion was dealt with, God continued to guide and provide for the rest of the Israelites, showing His long-suffering nature.

Experiencing God’s Tolerance Today

Just like the Israelites, we often find ourselves complaining, doubting, and straying from God’s path. Yet, He remains tolerant and merciful. Here are a few ways we experience first-hand that God Ain’t Petty, He’s Tolerant today:

Daily Forgiveness: Every time we mess up, God is there, ready to forgive us when we turn back to Him. His tolerance is evident in His willingness to cleanse us from our sins repeatedly.

Continual Guidance: Despite our constant mistakes, God never leaves us without direction. He patiently guides us through His Word, inside prayer, and through the wisdom of others.

Unending Love: God’s love for us doesn’t waver, even when we’re at our worst. His tolerance is rooted in a deep, unending love that sees our potential and worth beyond our failures.

Avoiding the Limits of God’s Tolerance

While God’s tolerance is immense, it's important not to take it for granted. Here are some steps we can take to live in a way that honors God’s patience:

Gratitude: Cultivating a heart of gratitude helps us focus on God’s blessings rather than our complaints. Regularly acknowledging what God has done for us can shift our perspective and deepen our relationship with Him.

Obedience: Following God’s instructions, even when it’s hard, shows our trust and respect for Him. Obedience is a way of reciprocating God’s tolerance and love.

Repentance: When we do mess up, being quick to repent and seek forgiveness helps us stay aligned with God’s will. It shows that we value His tolerance and don’t want to abuse it.

God ain’t petty—He’s tolerant. His dealings with the Israelites remind us that even when we’re ungrateful or rebellious, His patience and love endure. Let’s aim to honor God’s tolerance by living lives of gratitude, obedience, and continual repentance. We might stumble, but God’s tolerance assures us that He’s always there, ready to guide us back on track.

Final Thoughts

Remember, God ain’t petty, He’s tolerant. His dealings with the Israelites remind us that even when we forget our place with God, and forget how powerful He is, and fall away from Him, God still holds out hope for us. His tolerance for us is quite unbelievable at times. Let’s continue striving to live for God so that He doesn’t have to time and time again use tolerance in place of joy for us.

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Stay blessed - and keep striving to live in a way that honors God’s incredible tolerance!