When the Desert Hits: Stopping the Blame Game in the Work

Have you ever been in a moment where everything just feels… dry? Maybe it’s a week of mission preparation where the answers aren't coming easily, or maybe it’s a revelation in the field that feels completely overwhelming. We've all been there—standing in a spiritual desert, feeling the weight of the work, and instinctively looking around for someone to blame.

It’s a deeply human tendency, isn't it? When things are difficult, we tend to play the blame game. We point fingers at the circumstances, at the people around us, or even at ourselves. But as returned missionaries and lifelong disciples, we know that the blame game never has a winner, and it rarely solves anything.

I was reading a devotional recently that dove into a passage from Exodus 17. This story takes us to the Israelites, who had been led by the Lord, but when they reached a dry, desolate place, they faced a crisis: no water. Their response wasn't faith; it was complaint. They complained to Moses, and they complained to God. They played the blame game.

The Desolate Place and the Divine Will

The lesson here isn't just about water shortages; it’s about spiritual sustenance. The Lord allowed them to be in that dry place for a reason. When we face a spiritual desert—whether it’s a period of intense study, a difficult transfer, or a challenging missionary discussion—it’s easy to feel that the Lord has forgotten us. We start to feel desperate, and desperation often manifests as complaint.

The people complained against Moses, but Moses understood the root problem: they were complaining against the Lord Himself. He responded, “Why do you tempt the Lord?”

The most powerful spiritual skill we can cultivate is the ability to redirect the focus. When we feel the temptation to blame a person, a circumstance, or even the mission itself, we must learn to pivot that energy back to the Lord. Our complaints are often just a coded way of saying, “I feel unsupported by God right now.”

The Christlike Response

What did Moses do when the people were in full-blown complaint mode? He didn't yell back. He didn't validate their blame. He continued to act in love. This is the key takeaway for every rogue disciple, every internet missionary, and every member who feels overwhelmed by the magnitude of the work.

When we are doing the work, we are going to be blamed. We are going to feel unjustly accused by people who are spiritually dry. We are going to feel like we are failing the Lord, even when we are doing our best. In those moments, the natural, reactive impulse is to defend ourselves, to point out why the other person is wrong, or to play their complaints back to them. But the Spirit calls us to model Moses: respond with unconditional love, even when you feel unjustly blamed.

Your Disciple Challenge: The Pivot

Here is a practical skill I want to share with you all, especially those of us in missionary preparation. The next time you find yourself frustrated with a study companion, or discouraged after a tough day of calling, pause. Before you formulate the complaint—the 'blame'—ask yourself: What does the Lord want me to do with this energy?

1. Acknowledge the feeling: It’s okay to feel frustrated.
2. Identify the target: Am I complaining against a person, or am I complaining against the Lord? (This is the critical question.)
3. Pivot to the Lord: Instead of dwelling on the complaint, immediately pivot your thoughts to a scripture, a prayer, or a simple act of service. Redirect the energy of frustration into focused discipleship.

Remember, we are all called to be Internet missionaries, and that means we are always in the field, always in the wilderness. We don't need a specific location or a specific group of transfers to be disciples. We just need to keep our eyes fixed on the Lord.

If you want to deepen your understanding of Christlike patience and how to navigate these moments, I highly recommend checking out The Iron Rod by authors like Dieter F. Uchtdorf. You can find great selections in LivingBook. If you want to practice these skills with help, join a local Book Club or Bible Study Group through HolyPlaces. I also encourage you to use our AI Investigator, Davee. He is fantastic for walking you through those thorny questions that feel like a 'dry place' in your personal discipleship journey!