Stiff-necked

One of the descriptives in the Bible that always causes me to reflect and practice self-examination is "stiff-necked." Stiff-necked people--they are God's people--respond to the difficulties of life by complaining that God isn't fair, by responding in self-defense to accusers, and by being completely oblivious to all the mercy and grace God has demonstrated in their lives on a daily basis. The great tragedy is that the trials in our lives are designed by God to have the exact opposite effect on our walk with Him. They should deepen our confidence in God's promise to meet all our needs and to provide us with all the strength we need to face each day--any day. They should encourage us to rest in His love for us and His promise that He knows our hearts and that He is the only one who's approval makes any difference at all. They should open our eyes to His daily blessings and the peace and joy that is ours when we just trust Him. Those "small" daily blessings are our assurance that He is doing all things for our good and for our transformation into His likeness. His desire is to make us "pliable," soft-hearted, able to be used by Him to encourage others to be faithful in tough times. Instead, in our selfish arrogance, we become stiff-necked--useless except as an example of those who being never satisfied with Him never find the best, the intimacy, He has planned for them: a life in the Christian wilderness. May God fill my heart with faith, hope, and love--a love for Him that makes obedience supernaturally natural in my daily walk--no matter what my circumstances.