GRUMBLING - Dag Heward-Mills

READ: Psalm 78:40-58

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Psalm 103:2

Some years ago, some missionaries I had sent to the mission field began complaining about various things. They would call one another and gossip to each other about how they were not being treated fairly. Different little issues became mountains of fodder for discussion. After a while, the spirit of discontentment, murmuring and grumbling was rife amongst this team of missionaries.

I remember a meeting I had with them. They all seemed to be different from what I had known. I wondered what kind of ungrateful and forgetful people these were! These young men had forgotten how I had helped them to come into ministry. They had forgotten how I had flown them into international cities and set them up to start churches.

As I sat at the meeting, I realized that my young missionaries had forgotten too many things too soon. They had become grumpy , disgruntled and discontented with the ministry and me. It was as though another spirit had taken over their lives. I held on for as long as I could and then I dismissed them from the mission field and from full-time ministry.

It was a painful and difficult decision but there was no way out. These were beloved sons of mine and I knew that what I was doing would change their lives drastically. Suddenly , these soldiers were not a part of what I was doing and I would march on without them. Forgetting had cost them too much. May you not forget what the Lord has done in your life!