Discouragment

Years ago, I heard a story of a missionary couple returning from Africa in the days of Teddy Roosevelt. After a lifetime of faithful service they were returning to America on the same ship as President Roosevelt. President Roosevelt was returning from a big-game hunting expedition in Africa. As they boarded the ship from Africa the crowds and bands were playing to send the President off, but no one came to bid a last farewell to this missionary couple.
The man said to his wife, "Isn't it strange, dear? Here we have given our life to the service of God, spent years in Africa, endured many hardships, lost a couple of our children and buried them out here. It's been very difficult, but nobody really cares, do they?"
I mean look at all this folderol that goes on when the President returns from a big-game hunting expedition! Nobody cares whether we have done anything for God, or not.
(Personally, can you relate to this feeling?)
All the way across the Atlantic it burned in his heart. Bitterness grabbed a toe-hold and started melting into his soul. Sure enough, when the ship pulled into the New York harbor there was a band waiting to greet President Roosevelt with his favorite songs. The high officials of the city were there to greet him as the missionary couple slipped off the ship unnoticed and continued on to their rented run-down flat on the East Side of New York. The man was utterly crushed. His thoughts took a downward tail-spin and spoke out in bitterness to the unfairness.
"It isn't fair. Here we are, we haven't any money, and we don't know who is going to take care of us or where we are going. God has promised great things, but nothing's happened. We've given him everything we got and what has he done for us?"
His wife stood by and said, "Honey, I know it isn't fair, but this isn't the right attitude. You must not think this way. Why don't you go into the bedroom and talk to the Lord about it, and see what He has to say?"
So he did. He went into the Presence of the King and knelt down.
He was there for quite a long time and when he came out his face was alight and his wife saw that his countenance had changed.
"I got down on my knees and poured out the whole story to the Lord. I told Him that I thought it was so unfair and especially that when we came home the President got this big welcome and no-one was waiting for us. I told him that he was treating us all wrong."
"And, here is how He answered."
But my child, you're not home, yet.
Oh! The hope in that! My friends we---are not home, yet! This is glorious true!