Looking Up: Finding Hope and Healing in Life’s Darkest Moments
We all face seasons where life feels overwhelming and hopeless. Those moments when nothing seems to be working, and we’re struggling to find our way forward. But there’s profound wisdom to be found in how we choose to respond during these difficult times.
The Danger of Complaining
Looking at the Israelites in Numbers 21, we see how complaining poisoned their perspective. Fresh from being freed from slavery in Egypt, they focused on what they lacked rather than God’s provision. Their complaints revealed a form of spiritual amnesia – forgetting all that God had done for them.
How Does Complaining Affect Us?
Research shows complaining has serious negative effects:
- Rewires your brain for negative thoughts
- Reduces problem-solving abilities
- Elevates stress hormones
- Increases the likelihood of depression and anxiety
When Snakes Enter the Camp
God sent poisonous snakes among the complaining Israelites – not as punishment, but as a wake-up call. Sometimes we need to face our problems head-on rather than asking God to simply remove them. The solution wasn’t removing the snakes, but providing a way to be healed when bitten.
How Do We Find Healing?
The key to healing begins with shifting our focus. God instructed Moses to create a bronze snake and lift it up – when people looked at it after being bitten, they would live. This points to an important truth: healing doesn’t come through removal, but through refocusing our attention.
Looking to Jesus for Freedom
This Old Testament story foreshadows Jesus’ sacrifice. Just as the bronze serpent was lifted up, Jesus was lifted on the cross, becoming sin itself so we could find healing and freedom. When we look to Him rather than our circumstances, we find the cure for what’s poisoning us.
Life Application
This week, consider:
- What “snakes” have you let into your life? (anger, addiction, pride, shame, etc.)
- Where are you focusing your attention – on your problems or on Jesus?
- How can you shift your focus from complaining to gratitude?
Challenge: Each time you catch yourself complaining this week, pause and intentionally look up – both literally and spiritually. Name one thing you’re grateful for, and remember that healing comes not from fixing everything yourself, but from fixing your eyes on Jesus.
Questions for Reflection:
- What areas of my life am I constantly complaining about?
- How has focusing on what I lack blinded me to God’s provision?
- What would change if I spent as much time looking to Jesus as I do looking at my problems?