Features of an Ingrate and How It’s Poison to Destiny

• First Characteristic of an Ungrateful Man

An Ingrate tends to forget the benefits received because they want to move on to something else. The next day, they soon forget and are quick to ask for more. Psalm 106:13 states that they forgot quickly before reaching the goal, the manifestation to enjoy the final destination point Z. Hence, the question to ask is how people do not wait for God to finish with them and crack.

Psalm 78:42-43 adds that they do not remember the power of the day and have forgotten the wonders in the fields. Psalm 106:21 reminds us that the final destination was Canaan. There is a place, a designated time for you. In the journey, they forgot. To do this, you must publish, honor, advertise like the Samaritan woman. Thanksgiving is advertising, so they forgot. Attitudes these days will determine what you will be in the future. And ingratitude is a poison.

In going through Exodus 14 and Numbers 14, we see a people who witnessed the supernatural and understood that God was more powerful than anything. Later on, they forget that God had done great things in Egypt.

While they are thirsty, God in His goodness provides good water to His people. Then they are hungry. Despite this, they forget, saying that in Egypt, they were fine and murmuring. Preferring Egypt when they were slaves. God sends manna and quails. Exodus 16, 17, and 32, all these passages abundantly show the ingratitude of the people of Israel as poison to their destiny. The worst will happen: the anger of God will consume the people.

In Numbers 14:11, the judgment of God will fall, and they will be struck by the plague. And they will not see the land that God had sworn to give to their fathers. This poison could even cause death. Before obtaining something, what is your attitude towards God? Have you forgotten? That’s why David says in Psalm 103, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”

My soul often tends to forget, and this creates poison for our destinies. Miracles, favors are there to strengthen faith and what God can still do. They constitute deep memories to strengthen our hope, our faith. Hence, the fathers write this so that the children see them and remember.

A God who could send manna. You are writing a story that should lead to celebrating the Almighty God. We walk with things that are testimonies, open letters, blessings for others.

• Second Characteristic of an Ungrateful Man

An ingrate does not give glory to God because they are arrogant. Deuteronomy 8:14, 17-18, they always find a good reason to trivialize God’s blessings. They are not quick to say thank you. They always have a tendency to disdain. Also, saying thank you to God is a sign of humility.

James 1:17 tells us that everything we receive comes from above, from whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Above, nothing is rushed. We receive everything from God, and we say thank you, “Matondo.” In Genesis 32:10, God’s grace and faithfulness surpass us. And we know the source of all our wealth.

In Psalm 118:23, we derive a principle that we must always be amazed, surprised by what God does. When you start explaining what you haven’t understood, there is still you. When you start giving a logic, it means you haven’t understood.

The miracle exceeds even the person to whom it happens. The miracle surprises even the one laying hands, it surprises even the beneficiary, and that’s why glory must be given to Him. That’s why when we are told that we are great, that we have done something, we say, “Glory to the Lord.” And when we are told that we are going to do something, we say, “God willing,” because it is with God that we do exploits, and He will crush our enemies.

We may lack everything but not God; let God alone act because with Him, we will succeed. Let’s remain small in our eyes to recognize God’s place. Some Christians, when they are elevated, take poison because God resists the proud, and He gives grace to the humble.

Acts 12:21, as the king starts speaking without realizing that he has taken poison and will eventually die because that glory was not his. God does not share His glory.

Malachi 8:2, gratitude preserves blessings, and ingratitude causes blessings to wither. Don’t be ungrateful man

• Third Characteristic of an Ungrateful Man

The ingrate excels in complaints or murmurs. They speak softly, complain about everything, and are dissatisfied. The people of Israel were champions in murmuring. When we researched on Google, we typed murmuring, and the following result appeared, “murmuring, Bible Israel.”

They were always murmuring and telling Moses that he was doing nothing and that the Lord had abandoned them, and they wanted to go back to Egypt. Often, we act like them, wondering why it happens to us, why only us, what have we done to God?

An ingrate, as soon as something is given to them, behind your back, they say that we are stingy and that you should have given more. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. There are people like that, never satisfied, who speak about everything.

But God says, let’s stop for a moment, why do we forget? Even in the desert, let’s keep our clarity. Let’s not say anything to God’s ears, let’s learn to speak well even in the desert.

To do this, it is appropriate to learn to master our language because murmurs are poisons, a mature man masters his language. Even in distress, let’s learn to praise and find a way to praise anyway. Refuse to speak ill of ourselves, to insult God. Also, refuse to curse God, to complain, but rather learn to be positive even in the desert like Joshua and Caleb who were animated by another spirit. For this, decide to have another spirit.

Let’s make the resolution like Leah to say, this time I will praise the Lord Jesus Christ. Let’s change our murmurs, our complaints into celebration in “Matondo” since we do not find our joy in what the city gives or not in what the government gives or not.

Our joy is found in the Lord Jesus Christ. May the trial lead us not to say anything to our leader, agonize but look to God and tell Him that you have what will rise.

While the world tells you to curse God, rather say that your Redeemer lives and will rise last. For it is with Him that there are sources of life. Decide to stop crying like Hannah, come in and eat. Do you think you have the worst life on earth? The holy scriptures declare this: “Better a living dog than a dead lion; as long as there is life, there is hope.”

You may be in prison today and tomorrow in the house of the King. It is still possible. If you are in prison like Paul and Silas, dance! The Bible says they praised the Lord, and the prison shook because praise is a weapon of war. Thanksgiving brings God to sit because He sits in the midst of the praises of His people. Because we want God to sit, to act for us, to do, so we praise.

Even in the death of Lazarus, we give thanks to God. What is dead in your life? What is on the ground in your life? We beg you, give thanks to God, “Matondo.” What do you have in your hands? Barely two fish and five loaves? Even if there is adversity, let’s do like Jehoshaphat, let’s praise God. Even in fear, learn to say Matondo thank you to God.

This text is an extract from the book “MATONDO: Living through Thanksgiving” written by authors Arlette Manegabe, Athom’s Mbuma, David Kajisu, Fifi Bilolo Tunasi, Grâce Tshiashala, Michael Tettey, Pasteur Lévi Kongolo Kazadi, Sissi Bogoli, Tracien Boma. Don’t be ungrateful man.