Grumbling

This morning I read a warning in Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon. The warning was for those who grumble against what God has afflicted them with. Or the way Mr. Sprugeon puts it "a murmurer".

"A word with thee,O murmurer! Why shouldst thou murmur against the dispensations of thy heavenly father? Can He treat thee more hardly than thou deservest? Consider what a rebel thou wast once, but He has pardoned thee! Surely, if He in His wisdom sees fit now to chasten thee, thou shouldst not complain. After all, art thou smitten as hardly as thy sins deserve? Weigh thyself and discern how much dross is mingled with thy gold: and doest thou think the fire too hot to purge away so much dross as thou hast? Doest not that proud rebellious spirit of thine prove that thy heart is not thoroughly sanctified? All his corrections are sent in love to purify thee, and to draw thee nearer to Himself."

Oh, what conviction! How many times I grumble and complain about the trials God has sent my way, big, or many more times, small. Sean and I were just talking about this yesterday!

He then continues, "But if thou wilt murmur against the chastening, take heed, for it will go hard with murmurers. God always chastises His children twice, if they do not bear the first stroke patiently."

Then, as my habit, I read the chapter from which the verse in the devotional was taken. Today it was Numbers 14. It is the story about how Israel complained to God because of the giants in the promised land. They wanted to go back to Egypt. They wanted to stone Caleb and Joshua for reminding them to not rebel against the Lord.

God chastised them and made them wander in the desert for 40 years, one year for each day the spies were in the land. God told them that everyone older than 20 would die in the wilderness except Joshua and Caleb, the faithful men who did not doubt God's promises even in the midst of trying circumstances.

Many times the "fire" that purges the dross (icky, bad stuff that's not gold) is hard to bear. But it is sobering to think of this example from the Old Testament and comforting to remember that God chastens those he loves. It is also helpful for me to remember that the end result will be a strengthening of my faith which is worth more than gold.