In which encouragement is a dish best served on facebook.

Discouragement is an awful thing.

This week, the devil tripped me up. I feel like a chump, even now, for letting it affect me so badly. But I have to write about it because I was reminded of God's goodness, and am compelled to pass on that goodness if I can.

The thought entered my brain this week: "You're only here until June. What can you do for God in only 8 more months? That's not enough time to do anything. Just give it up."

Of course, when I get discouraged, I do it like I do everything. I figure if you're going to do something, do it all the way; take it to the extreme. Its like when I find a food I like. Thats the only food I want to eat (danielle patiently suffers through it) until the thought of that food makes me gag. When we got our apartment here, I discovered that I liked little sandwiches with ham, red-peppers, mayo, and mustard. Its actually a good lunch. But when you eat one of these little sandwiches every day for 3 weeks, suddenly the idea just grosses you out.

Anyhow, back to the point...I got discouraged. And I took it to the extreme. I would barely sleep, and that affected my work, our lives at home (I retreat into myself and stop responding), everything.

But then something cool happened. God, full of grace and mercy, gave me scripture. The Body of Christ did what it is supposed to do. And I was reminded of God's goodness. His faithfulness. His lovingkindness. And His sovereignty.

Corynne shared on facebook:
"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand. I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread."
Psalm 37:22-25

Danielle shared on facebook:
"Then he said: 'I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt."
Dave also told me this on facebook:
Think about all the 1 week mission trips that happen, where God does crazy things. You're on the equivalent of 30 1 week mission trips. God will do good things. (I had to paraphrase this one, because I seem to have lost the conversation).

I watched this message preached by Britt Merrick:
When my heart is overwhelmed.

Now, granted, the last one is a bit more intense than just a little bit of discouragement, but still the points God made through him reminded me...

Scripture is our greatest help. We often view it as our weapon, which it is (the Word of God is sharper than any two edged sword, able to pierce, dividing bone from marrow..), but also, its a help to our spirits. In scripture, we find all things pertaining to life and Godliness. We find comfort. The psalmist (ps 119) said: "My soul faints for your salvation, but I hope in Your Word." He also said, "I rise before the dawning of the morning, And cry for help; I hope in Your word." We find assurances of God's faithfulness, giving us hope!
Romans 8: 37-39: Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I was told that many in our fellowship at home are getting discouraged for one reason or another. Here's what you do.
  1. Seek to know the God that made you; in Him, you will find hope. Psalm 43: Why are you cast down, o my soul? Hope in God. For I shall again praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.
  2. Earnestly seek to rest in the salvation that God has given us; our salvation IS our rest. Hebrews 4:1: Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to come short of it.
  3. Know that God is the lifter of your Head. It is God's world, not ours. God is sovereign, and He is mighty to save. When David was being hunted by his own son, Absalom, he wrote Psalm 43:3: But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head.
Our strength is not found within ourselves. Our strength is in God. He is made perfect, even in our weakness. When we have discouragement, difficulties, whatever, we place our hope in God, and HE will surround us with HIS goodness. HE will uphold us in HIS hand. When did we ever uphold ourselves? No, every breath is by HIS mercy and we are given over to HIM.

So, if you are discouraged, look to the promises God has made. Do not turn inward and worry and wonder how you will solve your problem. You are man born of woman, who is but a few days and full of trouble (job 14), but God is from everlasting. With God there is no variation, nor shadow of turning. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. And as James tells us:

God gives more grace.

2 comments:

Kimalea said...

Awesome! So, apparently you are preaching a message on Victory Through Faith. So much for, "Sorry pally, God can't use you." In your face butt-head!

Anonymous said...

You have already strengthened the faith of many who have heard your story of following God to Spain. Your desire to follow Him and do His will is the message. God has been using you all along.

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