Adversity came upon some. There was a failure in their crops, so that they could not redeem their pledges; and some were even brought into straitened circumstances. Then, of course, they could not be expected to pay. But had they not murmured and withdrawn their hearts from their pledges, God would have worked for them and would have opened ways whereby every one could have paid what he had promised. They did not wait in faith, trusting God to open the way so that they could redeem their pledges. Some had means at their command; and had they possessed the same willing mind as when they pledged, and had they heartily rendered to God in tithes and offerings that which He had lent them for this purpose, they would have been greatly blessed. But Satan came in with his temptations and led some to question the motives and the spirit which actuated the servant of God in presenting the call for means. Some felt that they had been deceived and defrauded. In spirit they repudiated their vows, and whatever they did afterward was with reluctance, and therefore they received no blessing. {5T 282.1}

Modgang kom over nogle. Der kom fejl i deres afgrøder, så at de ikke kunne indløse deres løfter; og nogle blev endog bragt under trange kår. Derfor kunne det naturligvis ikke forventes at de betalte. Men havde de ikke knurret og tilbageholdt deres hjerter fra deres løfter, ville Gud have arbejdet for dem og ville have åbnet veje, hvorved alle kunne have betalt det han havde lovet. De ventede ikke i tro, stolede på at Gud åbnede vej for at de kunne indfri deres løfter. Nogle havde midler til rådighed; og havde den samme villighed, som da de bad og havde de hjerteligt givet Gud af tiende og gaver, det som han havde lånt dem til dette formål, ville de være velsignet stort. Men Satan kom ind med sine fristelser og fik nogle til at betvivle motiverne og den ånd, som fik Guds tjenere til at kalde på midler. Nogle følte at de var blevet bedraget og besviget. I ånden forstødte de deres løfter og hvad de gjorde derefter var med ulyst og derfor fik de ingen velsignelse.