August 21

Contentment

It's just Eggs!

“You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.”
Hebrews 12:4 (NKJV)

Which requires more resistance: occasional gunfire at night on the street
where you live, or a constant cycle of questions—Is the water on or off?
Is today our day to have electricity or not? Does the phone work? Does
the gas station have fuel today? Are there eggs in the market?
I was reminded of such striving again this week. I went to buy eggs.
All the vendors agreed, no eggs. A town of 30,000 people, and there
were no eggs in the market.

When appointed as missionaries, we knew that we would be striving
against sin. We didn’t realize the many small frustrations in our daily
lives that would be a part of that struggle. All the small frustrations
lumped together made it challenging. If only the water was off—okay;
if only electricity was off—okay; if only the phone was off—okay. But
if all three were off at the same time, our family would say, “Let’s go
home.” But then, we’d look around and laughingly continue, “But we
are home.”

Our circumstances were not perfect, but we made a choice that day
not to look at them. We had to look at Jesus and remember Hebrews
12:3: “For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself,
lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls” (NKJV). When considering
Jesus, our daily frustrations became smaller.
Okay, so there are no eggs in the market this week. But when I look at Jesus, it seems a small thing to do without.

—David, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa

Heavenly Father, forgive me when I allow frustration to cause me to sin. May
I look to the example of Your Son, who suffered, knowing that my suffering is
nothing in comparison. Give missionaries in Uganda grace to face trials today.
Amen.
Next day