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Obedience and Surrender

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From the Editor From the Editor

Handling Disappointment

By Arlene Allen

G. Campbell Morgan was one of 150 young men who sought entrance to the Wesleyan Methodist ministry in 1888. He passed the doctrinal examinations, but then faced the trial sermon. In an auditorium that seated more than 1,000 sat three ministers and 75 others who came to listen.

When Morgan stepped to the pulpit, the vast room and the searching, critical eyes caught him off-guard. Two weeks later, Morgan's name appeared among the 105 rejected for the ministry that year.

Morgan's daughter-in-law, Jill, wrote in her book, A Man of the Word, concerning this incident. "He wired to his father the one word, Rejected, and sat down to write in his diary: 'Very dark everything seems. Still, He knows best.'" Quickly came the reply from his dad, "Rejected on earth—accepted in heaven. Dad."

Rejection or disappointment doesn't have to be immobilizing. Campbell Morgan was rejected by the Methodists for the pastoral ministry, but was later ordained into the Congregational Church. He was a known associate of Dwight L. Moody and a soughtafter Bible teacher. On two occasions, he pastored Westminster Congregational Church in London.

In Philippians, we find Paul in prison. I'm sure he was disappointed and discouraged. However, Paul realized his current circumstances weren't as important as what he did with them. Turning a bad situation into a good one, he reached out to the Roman soldiers who made up the palace guard and encouraged Christians who were afraid of persecution.

We may not be in prison, but we still have plenty of opportunities to be discouraged— times of indecision, financial burdens, family conflict, church conflict or the loss of our jobs. How we act in such situations will reflect what we believe. Like Paul, look for ways to demonstrate your faith, even in bad situations. Whether or not the situation improves, your faith will grow stronger.

When we speak fearlessly for Christ, or live faithfully for Him during difficulties, we encourage others to do the same. Be an encouragement by the way you live!

Arlene AllenARLENE ALLEN is national director of the national Women's Ministries Department and editor in chief of WTOnline.

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