Most of us know and have heard many times the story in the bible about the twelve men who were sent ahead of the children of Israel to spy out the Promised land.
Only 2 of them Joshua and Caleb saw that the land was good and gave it a good report, the other 10, the majority of them said it was bad. ( Numbers 13:26-33)
The problem with the bad report of the 10 is that it contradicted what God had already said, for God had already told them it was a good land, a promised land, a place of blessing. This tells us it's all about perspective, whether one is seeing things through one's own eyes or seeing things the way God see's it.
The simple lesson is that it is wrong to call bad what God calls good....and the bottom line is this, God gives us every good and perfect gift, (James 1:17) but because we live in a fallen creation, if we look at His blessings with fallen eyes, we will only see the imperfections, the shortcomings and all the problems that are actually there not realizing that focusing on them makes them bigger than they really are and in our fallen thought life, they become bigger than God.
Instead of magnifying Him ( Psalm 34:3, Luke 1:46) we magnify the problems and we overlook the fact that God has already factored those shortcomings and problems into His Promises and in turn we forget that the Promises of God are only received by faith, not by sight and in turn we miss out and deny ourselves the blessings and the goodness of God in the things He has given us.
The story of the children of Israel in the wilderness was written for our example and instruction (1 Corinthians 10:11) and in so reading we also see that when they were thirsty God gave them water from a rock (Jesus), when they were hungry, God gave them the miracle of manna, bread from heaven (Jesus), but eventually they even cursed the manna!
(Numbers 11:6, 21:5). Long story short, the sin, disobedience and rebellion that didn't allow the children of Israel to enter into the promised land for 40 years was the murmuring, bickering, complaining and total lack of appreciation they had for the continual presence of God, His blessings and unmerited favor toward them.
The point is this.... if God gives you something, if He tells you its good, if He blesses you with a good land, a good job, good children, good parents, a good car, a good marriage, a good church and if He tells you, you are forgiven, you are His special possession and His righteousness in Christ....it is completely wrong to contradict Him and call His Promised Land a bad place when He has called it good and has set it aside especially for you as your place of Blessing!
To God Be All The Glory Forever and Ever, Amen!
