‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬The children of Israel experienced a roller coaster in their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. Unfortunately, they were the architects of their own misery. Inadvertently, they turned what should be a journey of 40 days to one lasting 40 years, and none of the older generation made it there. Their travail started when they murmured at every seeming odd they met on the way. They even murmured about manna which God had given to them out of His benevolence. That made them waste away in the wilderness and elongated their journey. The seeming interminable nature of the journey was what discouraged them as our text narrates.

God has allotted times and seasons for His plans and purposes for our lives. If we walk obediently and follow every lead of the Spirit, we will get there in good time.

There is an interesting margin to the word “discouraged”. It connotes impatience. This is how the New Living Translation puts it – “Then the people of Israel set out from Mount Hor, taking the road to the Red Sea to go around the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient with the long journey,” Numbers‬ 21‬:4‬ NLT‬‬. God has allotted times and seasons for His plans and purposes for our lives. If we walk obediently and follow every lead of the Spirit, we will get there in good time. On the other hand, foot dragging and half-hearted obedience will prolong the time and get us weary in the process.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬