Over It

“The Lord answered Moses, ‘Is the Lord’s arm too short? Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you.’” - Numbers 11:23


Numbers 11 tells the story of the children of Israel who have departed Egypt’s city limits and are long gone, found wandering in the wilderness. The people are growing weary, and they are extremely frustrated and fatigued. They are ready to get to the long-awaited Land of Promise so they can finally have peace, quiet, and fulfillment.

But in accordance with God’s purpose and plan, it is not time to stop yet. They must keep moving. Through the sunshine and the rain, the heat, and the hot temperatures, they must run on just a little while longer. But apparently, it is too much for them to handle.

Consequently, they turn on Moses and start blaming him for where they are, and for taking them on this frustrating field trip in which they have to eat the same meals every day. They’re sick and tired of the same old food, and they’re sensing the desert is soon to become a graveyard for them.

That is the point that the ingratitude and ungratefulness of the people begin to test Moses’ nerves, and he comes to his wit's end. Their lack of support and appreciation for all that he has done causes him to lash out at God in an amazing diatribe that ultimately turns into an effort to renegotiate his contract with God.

Moses challenges God about the fact that he is in a no-win assignment, and that the people are uncooperative and ungrateful. Moses eventually tells God that the weight of leadership is too heavy for him to carry, and he astonishingly asks God to kill him, so he won’t have to witness his own misery and failure.

What does God do? He vows to send help. He says to Moses, “Bring me seventy of Israel’s elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with you. I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them. They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone” (Numbers 11: 16-17).

Have you ever been there? Have you ever felt on the brink of burnout, and you did not know what to do? There have been times that I was just “over” everything. I felt overworked, overstressed, overburdened, over exhausted, and just flat out over it. Thankfully, God is never “over it” and He continues to work in and through us. He stays patient through our frustrations and knows just how to refresh us and send help.

Do you need to be refreshed today? Ask God to refresh you. He says in Matthew 7:7, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” God wants you to ask when you need something. What do you need from Him today?