“For we must never forget, dear brothers, what happened to our people in the wilderness long ago. God guided them by sending a cloud that moved along ahead of them, and he brought them all safely through the waters of the Red Sea. This might be called their ‘baptism’—baptized both in sea and cloud!—as followers of Moses—their commitment to him as their leader. And by a miracle God sent them food to eat and water to drink there in the desert; they drank the water that Christ gave them. He was there with them as a mighty Rock of spiritual refreshment. Yet after all this most of them did not obey God, and he destroyed them in the wilderness. So be careful. If you are thinking, ‘Oh, I would never behave like that’—let this be a warning to you. For you too may fall into sin.” (1 Corinthians 10:1-5, 12).
Develop Confidence in God
It is great to have self-confidence, but even better to have God-confidence. Being too confident in yourself can sometimes become a trap. That is because it is so easy to trust your own ability and fall into sin. This is what happened to God’s people in the wilderness experience.
God was there with them, through the whole experience. They tasted the goodness of God when He miraculously sent them food to eat and water to drink in the desert. They had a well-developed sense of self-confidence, but they lacked God-confidence. Although He supplied their every need, they had not learned to trust and depend on God.
The Spirit of God was with Israel in the desert. He guided them through the desert by sending a cloud ahead of them. He brought them safely through the waters of the Red Sea. Nevertheless, many of them died in the wilderness. Because of their grumbling, they displeased God.
In the event that you are thinking, “I would never behave like that,” remember, the difference between self-confidence and God-confidence. When you develop God-confidence, you will learn to trust God above yourself.
Father God, today, I trust that You will help me to develop God-confidence–the kind of confidence that trusts and depends on you for my provision. I know that You are my source of provision. I pray that You will continually guide me through the desert of my troubles and quench my thirst with the refreshing water that only Your Holy Spirit can provide.