by Michelle D. Craig

Here’s my big takeaway from this talk.  The distinction between divine discontent and discouragement?  Divine discontent prompts “faithful action” whereas discouragement is Satan’s counterfeit and stops progress. 

I am reminded of King Benjamin’s sermon to his people in Mosiah 4.  Part of verse 11 reads, “and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel.”  That has some risky language today.  Namely “your own nothingness” and “unworthy creatures.”  Can you imagine if it was said today as an original thought and not quoting scripture?  I imagine there would be complaints.

Here was the response of the people King Benjamin spoke to: “And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.” (Mosiah 5:2)

Here was a prophet of God manifesting his calling by using divine discontent to help the people move closer to Christ.  It worked because the people he spoke to listened to his words and let the Spirit of God speak to them to prompt them to action.

Divine Discontent