One of the symptoms that modern humans often experience is anxiety, a sense of worry that continues to haunt, even though all needs seem to be fulfilled. We live in an era where technology provides convenience, access to information is wide open, and life choices are expanding. Yet, in the midst of this abundance, there is an inexplicable dissatisfaction. Social media magnifies this gap, making many people feel like they are always less than others. In this situation, gratitude is often eroded, replaced with anxiety, complaints, and endless demands.

This phenomenon is reminiscent of the Israelites' experience in the wilderness. Despite witnessing God's great works (the parting of the sea, the pillar of cloud and fire, and the water gushing from the rock) they still felt inadequate and doubted His power. Psalm 78:12–22 records this struggle as a collective memory of faith: The God who rescued them from Egypt and sustained their wilderness journey should have been the basis of gratitude and obedience. However, instead of being grateful, they challenged God with the cynical question, "Can God set a table in the wilderness?" (verse 19). Their deepest problem was not an unmet need, but a heart that doubted God's faithfulness.

This psalm was written as a teaching for the next generation not to repeat the mistakes of the ancestors. The God who has acted in history must not be doubted in His faithfulness. Ironically, the Israelites responded to God's great works with unbelief. Therefore, what they did was not just a complaint, but a rebellion of faith, underestimating God's power while doubting His faithful love.

Israel's attitude is in line with the psychological tendency we know as negativity bias. In a state of anxiety, it is easier for people to remember the bad than the good, so the real goodness of God is often overlooked. When the mind is constantly filled with anxiety, the little things that have not been fulfilled feel much bigger than the grace that has been given. This psalm reminds us that forgetting God's past works will only plunge us into an endless cycle of discontent.

Friends of the Bible, through today's psalm we are reminded not to get caught up in doubts that are born out of anxiety and dissatisfaction. A life of faith is not a series of demands that God fulfill all our desires, but rather trusting that His steadfast love has sustained us, even in the wilderness of life. Weeping may be present, complaining may be uttered, but do not let it erode the belief that God is able and faithful. True happiness does not lie in the abundance of things we have, but in the ability to remember and acknowledge God's presence in our lives.