“How long will they not believe Me?” (Numbers 14:11)

This devotion is about spiritual burnout.

Every saint struggles with unbelief. We must constantly force ourselves to believe “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). If you think God was wrong to allow something bad to happen to you, your “shield of faith” is lowered and Satan’s fiery darts make things worse (Ephesians 6:16).

Unbelief can happen to saints of all ages, especially to saints who think they deserve better treatment because they’ve “been so faithful”. The brutal truth is, if you think you deserve special treatment because of something you’ve done, you’ve forgotten the basis of your relationship with God. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world” (1 Peter 5:8-9).

When a saint feels hurt, he no longer feels like loving God. In some cases, he feels justified withholding love because his lack of faith says God let him down! He slacks off using the means of grace.

The Apostle Peter diagnosis the ailment and the cure. He said you need more faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love. “For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins” (2 Peter 1:5-9).

The basis of your relationship with God is he saved you from your sins because of grace. Your good works since you were saved has nothing to do with it! You have no right to not love God. By faith, you must “humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6).

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