“We have a choice to trust the Lord or grumble.”
I’ve been convicted about this lately.
We’ve had a few messages in church, and I’ve had a few conversations personally, where I have been challenged about my grumbling. When I am disappointed by something I was hopeful about, I allow complaining and frustration to become part of my train of thought. In Exodus 15, the Israelites have just been praising God for saving them from the Egyptians at the Red Sea. They’re in the desert, and they come to what looks like cool, refreshing water. But when they try to drink it, they find it bitter. The Israelites’ praises turn to grumbling and complaining—directed at Moses. Instead of turning to the God who has just delivered them, they seek Moses for a solution.
Moses turns to the Lord. He goes to the right place. God hears Moses’ cry and He shows him how to remove the bitterness from the water. How can we better listen to Him for the guidance He wants to give us to resolve our discouraging situations and provide for our needs? How do we remember to look to Him instead of the people around us?
After they move on from there, they reach an oasis where God provides for them abundantly, and I feel like that happens in my own life. If I could just hold on and wait on Him, instead of giving in to grumbling and wanting my solution right now, He wants to provide what I’m seeking far more abundantly than I could have anticipated.
Moses said, He has heard your grumbling against Him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord. Exodus 16:8
There will be difficulties and disappointments and loneliness. I need to learn to walk with Him and wait on Him and not get caught up in my comfort and expectations and what I have determined is right and wrong for my situation. In the same way that He provided the water and manna for the Israelites, He wants to take care of our daily needs as well, but we have to trust Him to provide, even on the day of rest. There is a time for waiting and ceasing to strive toward something.
Grumbling and complaining is so easy, but it’s focused on self-centeredness— we think we deserve something we don’t get or vice versa. We call into question God’s goodness and character when we complain and lack trust. The Israelites decide that Egypt was better than the desert and they want to go back.
At the ladies’ retreats I host, one of the things we talk about is our tendency to paint a better picture when we look back on a season of life. We forget all the hard things about it, just like the Israelites look back and fail to remember their slavery, but instead focus on the abundance of water and meat that they don’t have in the desert.
We listen to a song by Sara Groves:
I’ve been painting pictures of Egypt
Leaving out what it lacks
The future feels so hard
And I want to go back
In our Bible Study through 2nd Timothy, I’ve been struck by how many times Paul uses words like I remind you, Remember Jesus Christ, Keep reminding God’s people, You know, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of. . .
The key to looking back is not focusing on the circumstances, but on the One who provided in whatever the circumstances were.
I’m grateful that I can do that in my own life, but also for the opportunity to read about God’s faithfulness, goodness, compassion, trustworthiness, and power in His Word in a language that I understand clearly.
Speaking of God’s Word in a language we can understand . . . we have two New Testament Dedications coming up—this is a huge milestone for both the missionaries and the Kuman and North Wahgi people.
Also, over the last few weeks, two North Wahgi believers stayed at our center in order to be taught how to teach through the Bible. They hope to reach North Wahgi people in new areas with the gospel.
What’s Next . . .
I just finished a Missionary Care Discussion Group, so I’m working toward contacting new participants for another one in January.
I have prayers recorded from three different people groups that we work among that I’ll record an English voiceover for and put together with footage of the location and people being prayed for. See the first Prayer Video I’ve been able to finish below. The idea is that I’ll create several of these for our 75th Anniversary year, 2025. This one for Kovol was already recorded in English, because there aren’t any believers there yet. The three that I hope to start on soon are prayers from believers from the churches that New Tribes Mission has planted among that people group. My desire is that many would come alongside us in praying for these people groups as they themselves would pray, in a culturally relevant way.
I’m still working on a flyer and guidelines for hosting short-term teams here. My hope is not only to mobilize work teams but also to send them back equipped as advocates for our support needs here as they return to their home countries. These work teams could come here to help us out with various projects: building, renovation, medical, dental and conferences. So, if you have ever wanted to come to PNG, stay tuned, maybe there will be an opportunity you can join in on!
I’ll also be putting together an end of the year report of what’s been going on in PNG monthly in 2024 along with the statistics representing our people and purpose.
I’ve been able to be part of some discussions with the Personnel Department about how to be more intentional in helping our members engage in time with the Lord through reflection and prayer. I hope that implementation of these ideas could begin in the new year, but pray that I would trust the Lord with this too!
