Numbers 14

"because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice, they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it. But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it. Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwell in the valley; tomorrow turn and move out into the wilderness by the Way of the Red Sea.” vv.22-25

Read chapter 14
They could have bypassed wandering in the wilderness for forty years if they would have believed and obeyed the Lord that He was giving them the promised land that they saw with their own eyes. Does that not seem ridiculous!?!? They must have been kicking themselves. They're standing right on the edge of the line to enter the promise land and God says, "Nope, I'm redirecting you through the extra long way about" (my paraphrase). And not only that but everyone that was part of the census back in chapter one who were twenty years and older won't ever get to enter the promise land except for Joshua and Caleb because they were the only ones who believed and trusted God. So until everyone of that generation dies off they wander through the wilderness but their children will get to enter and enjoy the land (v.31). This wasn't the only time that they didn't trust God, but this was the tenth time they put God to the test. Ten of the twelves spies didn't believe and being leaders of their tribes held strong influential positions that led the whole of Israel to complain and doubt. Disbelief and distrust is contagious. It is no small thing, as Charles Spurgeon reminded us, to see the glory of God and the signs that He has done for us along the way and then to put Him to the test and not obey His voice.
How have you been or seen unbelief as a leader cause consequences for followers? Unbelief is forgiven but carries consequences. What are some consequences you're facing because of distrust or disbelief?