Listen to today’s devo!

He humbled you, feeding you with manna to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. (Deut. 8:3)

Expanded Passage: Deuteronomy 8:2-3

In the NBA playoffs, one team and their star player were on a winning streak. In a stand-out game, the team lost in an embarrassing fashion to their opponents. . . Their leader took the blame for their loss. He shared how humbling the loss was, but how it would refocus his team. He said that he was ready to go back and play that same night. You could hear the hunger in his voice that emerged from their humbling experience They went on to win that series, shocking the sports world.

In our passage today it is as if God knew how easy it would be for us to forget the way he works in our lives. He reminds them of their years in the desert. These moments were like a refining fire to see if they would keep his commands. One of those tests was what they would do with the manna. Moses suggests that it was to teach them to rely not on bread, but on God’s word.

Most of us don’t like the humbling process that God takes us through. We would rather the mountain top and the “wins” instead of the learning that comes through losses. I’m so thankful that God is not handing out participation trophies, but calling us into something greater that requires grit, turning humbling times into teachable moments. .

Consider how what is humbling you could be a gift from God.

Santes Beatty is an ordained minister and serves as the director of NextGen for Church Multiplication and Discipleship of The Wesleyan Church. He loves traveling with his family, writing, cooking, and equipping leaders.

© 2025 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.