Grasshoppered Soul

My soul was recently “grasshopper-ed” by looking at someone else’s work and comparing it to mine. I know better and came to my senses eventually but not without a bit of a fixation on the giant of “I should be doing more…”

As I sensed the condemning nature of that thought I clued into the deceit and lure to do more for God than He is asking of me and thus to detach from the Vine. Not a good prospect. Though I found that this led to some healthy reflection and self-examination where I let Him “test the attitude of my heart” (Jeremiah 12:3); where I got some clarity, received His love, and walked in faith in what I believe He is asking of me, trusting His redirection if I’m off. A joyous, freer, spacious place it was, trusting Him for His work of multiplying and using the bit I bring. This allowed more prayer, thought, and planning into what He has asked of me. Instead of pulling away diminished or rushing in with hubris, the giant was reduced in the fear of God.

The Israelites felt like “grasshoppers” when they encountered the people in the promised land. Their souls were diminished. (Numbers 13:33)

Of course, it was impossible for them to do it on their own yet they were acting like it would all be up to them. Their choice deeply disheartened God, along with Moses, Caleb, and Joshua. (Numbers 14:11) The people’s hope was in the wrong place.

I think they had misplaced assumptions as we often do: (Numbers 14)

• That life in the new land would be easy
• That God wasn’t really FOR them
• The illusion that life before was better. (Romanticizing the past)
• That our kids (the vulnerable ones) would suffer if they obeyed
• That the land wasn’t good for them, but rather full of dangers
• That they knew better than God and so didn’t heed Him

Then when they were rebuked and told that they’d have to wait 40 years, they wept and  swung the pendulum, deciding they would go, but on their own. They didn’t heed God’s warning. They were quickly defeated.

God rewarded the few who believed and feared God over the giants but they had to wait a long time.

How has your soul been tempted to grasshopper-ing?

How will you overcome your wrong assumptions?

 “These things were written for our instruction…” 1 Corinthians 10:11