Never Grumbling
I have more to share this week from Mrs Oswald Chambers, a lovely biography written by Michelle Ule. You'll remember from last week that Oswald and Biddy ran a Bible Training College in England, but then Oswald was sent to Egypt to serve as a chaplain to the soldiers there during World War I. His time there left a deep impression on the soldiers.
Ule writes this on page 107: "Oswald... never lost sight of his absolute trust in his Lord and what he could do, Biddy shared his confidence. Stripped of all luxuries and battling mosquitoes in the savage heat, she could have grumbled often and no one would have been surprised. But Biddy chose to look at events from God's point of view in every situation of her life. God had set her, Oswald, Miss Riley and Kathleen in this time and place. His grace would be sufficient to meet their needs."
God's Perspective on Difficulty
That's a great attitude to have, and one that all Christians should have, I believe. In Scripture, the Israelites were often grumbling and complaining during their time wandering in the desert, and it had a negative impact on them and their mission to reach the promised land. Paul reminded the believers in the New Testament, to "do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life." (Philippians 2:14-16)
Biddy, it seems, shone like a star among those soldiers and among her family, as she refused to grumble and complain despite mosquitoes and a great lack of modern luxuries. The question is, do we? Or do we fit right in with a world of grumblers and complainers?
Trusting God's Sufficient Grace
Life is difficult. We all face challenges and struggles. But I pray that you and I, filled with the Spirit, will face our difficulties like Biddy Chambers: never complaining, because we look at things from God's standpoint, and trust that His grace will be sufficient to meet our needs.
When life got hard, Biddy Chambers didn’t grumble. She saw God’s hand in her situation and trusted Him How about us?