Issues We Face



DISCOURAGEMENT

We’ve all been there, done that, got the t-shirt to prove it. If you’ve somehow managed to escape the depressing feeling of discouragement, the rest of us would sure like to know your secret! The truth is, discouragement plagues even the best of us at any given time. All it takes is an unforseen obstacle or something that doesn’t turn out as planned to send a usually confident person into a state of discouragement. And being a Christian does not exempt you from going through such discouraging times. Discouragement is something that each and every one of us face and must learn to deal with.

Though it may be hard to imagine, the “Godly” men and women of Bible times went through their share of discouraging moments, just like you and I do. Some of them even fell into depression and temporary doubt because of the discouragement that they faced. Here’s some examples…

Jeremiah was a major prophet during Biblical times. Often we associate the word “prophet” with “boldness” and “confidence”. But if you really consider their job description, you’d probably realize that it was likely one full of discouraging times. Jeremiah felt true discouragement when he complained to God in both chapters 12 and 19 of the book of Jeremiah in the Bible. The ways of the wicked were prospering…he was being ridiculed and mocked…all of his friends were waiting for him to slip up. Verse 18 of chapter 20 even says, “Why did I ever come out of the womb to see trouble and sorrow and to end my days in shame?”

The book of Lamentations gives a detailed account of the discouraging and depressing—just terrible—feeling that the Jews had after the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and God’s temple. It opens with this verse: “How deserted lies the city once so full of people! How like a widow is she, who once was great among the nations! She who was queen among the provinces has now become a slave.” (Lamentations 1:1) Can you really get much more discouraging than that??

Elijah is another major prophet who experienced quite a bit of discouragement. One time, after having run for his life, Elijah sat down beneath a tree and actually prayed that he would die. “I have had enough, Lord”, he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”

Though it’s true that Job didn’t curse God when things in his life went wrong and he lost everything, Job certainly felt discouraged. If anyone (besides God) has ever had a reason and right to feel discouraged, it would definitely be this man! King David felt discouraged often. A large number of the Psalms that he wrote reveal the depths of his despair and discouragement. He cried out to God to save him, to be his refuge, to repay the wicked for their wrong doings, and to listen to his needs.

King Soloman, David’s son and heir, poetically recorded all his discouragement in the book of Ecclesiastes. In fact, many people don’t like to read from this part of the Bible because of the obvious feeling of discouragement that is portrayed within its verses. (Note: I personally think that there’s a lot that can be learned from this part of Scripture, so please don’t think that I’m putting it down.) But King Soloman, the wisest man to ever live (other than Jesus, of course) as well as an extremely wealthy person, had found that much of the “riches” here on earth were truly meaningless. This man had it all, really! But he figured out that discouragement and heartache and sorrow were things that everyone faced, regardless of fame or fortune or anything else the world could offer. He felt pretty hopeless. The sad thing is that in his time there was no such thing as salvation and knowledge of a Judgment Day and eternal life in Heaven. So, considering what he knew and what he could see, I can understand why he would feel that everything was so meaningless and “of no use”.

Most of these examples are of people who faced extreme levels of discouragement. The simple discouragements of every-day life obviously weren’t recorded unless necessary because that’s not the point of God’s Word. But that doesn’t mean that they didn’t exist. So let’s talk about those little things for a minute. They aren’t major like the things the prophets faced that made them want to die. But they sure have the power to make the rest of your day miserable! They can make you feel frustrated, unimportant, and like the things you do don’t even matter. How ever great or small they are, the things that discourage you are definitely not a joy. Yet you must face them and overcome then so that you can move on and be the most effective servant as you can for the Kingdom of God.

How can you do that? How did the Bible people overcome their struggles with discouragement? All of the people I’ve mentioned in this article overcame their discouragements by calling out to God. They communicated their worries and frustrations, expressed their feelings, and evaluated things so as to put it all back into perspective. But the main point is that they turned to God, recognizing that HE was in control and could take care of everything. And God always reminded them that He had chosen them and had plans for them…plans to prosper them and not to harm them. He always brought their focus back to the big picture. That’s a good point to remember. When YOU are feeling discouraged, try to focus on the big picture and not that small detail that went wrong. The other thing is that God always reminded them that He was in charge and that they just needed to trust Him and wait for His timing. Trust God! When things aren’t going as planned and you can’t see how they could possibly work out for the good, trust God. He is still in control. And remember that our plans might not be God’s plans…and His plans are better, even if we don’t understand them at first.

Truthfully, the best way to overcome discouragement is with encouragement. What encourages you? Seek that out when you are feeling down. (Specifically if it’s something that is a Christian influence.) I like to listen to my Christian music when I’m feeling discouraged or frustrated. So that’s one idea. I also spend a lot of time in prayer, and I express myself in writing. I write something with the goal of “looking on the bright side” or viewing things in an encouraged and cheerful way. Discouragement is not a sin. But if you allow yourself to have a pity-party over your discouragement, then you open up the door for the devil to whisper his lies in your ear. So don’t wallow in self-pity when things go wrong. Turn to God instead. And don’t forget your focus and your goal. Remember that if it’s in God’s plans, then it will happen in His timing. If not, well then it’s not best for your life anyways. In discouraging times you just have to give your cares to God and let Him worry about it instead of you. (1 Peter 5:7) Don’t weigh yourself down, but look up and find a reason to feel encouraged so that you won’t be thinking about the things that aren’t going the way you want them to. Here’s a good starting point: God loves you and will never leave you hanging by yourself!

-HK



RELATIONSHIP ISSUES

Waiting is such a hard thing. I always find myself wanting to do this, or that, and yet God merely whispers one, short word, "Wait." Sometimes it frustrates me, sometimes it rebukes me, sometimes it exasperates me, and the list goes on. So often I find that I want to govern my own life, even though in my heart of hearts I know that I cannot succeed at it. I want to have the "freedom" to do things. And always, God says, "Wait upon Me."

This concept is very applicable to relationships. How often it is that we think we are ready to move forward, to begin a relationship, to have a special 'someone' in our lives, but God only says, "Wait."

Surely God does not command us to wait for no reason. Ecclesiastes, written by Solomon, provides an answer for us in some commonly known phrases. "There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven -- A time to give birth, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted. A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build up. A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance. A time to throw stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to shun embracing. A time to search, and a time to give up as lost; a time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear apart, and a time to sew together; a time to be silent, and a time to speak. A time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace" (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 NASV). In this portion, God wishes to point out, that there is a time for everything. There is a time for love, and there is a time to wait for love.

Before we speak of this further, let us look at some more of what Solomon wrote, the most romantic book in the Bible, the Song of Solomon. Throughout the book the Lover and Beloved, Bridegroom and Bride, express their love for each other, sometimes speaking to the 'daughters of Jerusalem,' or to the 'friends' who briefly speak. Three times in this exquisite book of love does the Bride strongly ask of the daughters of Jerusalem, to not awaken love before it is ready: "'I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles, and by the hinds of the field, that ye awaken not, nor stir up love, until it please'" (Song of Solomon 2:7; 3:5; 8:4 MT). The Bride is urging the daughters of Jerusalem to not awaken love before its time. Not to stir it up by dwelling upon it, lest it awakens prematurely. In essence, she's saying that in the right time love will awaken, that we need not encourage it, for it will come about on its own. That in the right time, it will come. Her request of them is strong, as is seen by the oath she asks them to take. The gazelles and deers were sacred amongst some Old Testament religions, and at times they were thought to have special powers (note CEV). By this oath, strong and urgent in the culture she lived in, she told them not to stir up or awaken love.

Sometimes we think that if we don't fan the flame of infatuation or whatnot within our hearts, that it will never spark and come truly alive. We think that we have to do something. And we're right. We do have to do something. But what is where we err. Rather than doing something to stir up the 'love,' we have to wait.

In Isaiah 55:8-9 God says "'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,' declares the LORD. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.'" How often it is that I find myself wanting my way, but are my ways God's? Most definitely not. God wishes for us to wait upon Him, upon His plan, upon His perfect time. He wants us to wait upon Him, for His ways and thoughts are so much bigger and greater, and He wants only the best for us. It seems odd, but do we not often run from the best God has for us, wishing for the more shallow ways which happen to be our own? It's very true in my life. It's amazing what a little faith in God can amount to.

Concluding that God wants the best for us, God wants us to wait to stir up love, wait for that time to love, I then ask Him, how? How can I do that? I, who so often stumble and fall, how can I have the strength to do this? A small but significant line from Isaiah 40 comes to mind, "...but those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength..." Waiting, which seems so hard, actually amounts to strength. If we just wait a little, and then a little more, and eventually some more, and more and more, progressively God will strengthen us. For remember, He does not ask more of us than that which we are able to handle. God has confidence that we can accomplish this which He asks, but even if we mess up, He is there to help us up again, and start once more.

I encourage you all to wait upon the Lord with me. I struggle with this myself, but with God's help I am strengthened. And with God's help, you, too, will be strengthened. Wait upon Him, and I assure you, He will honor your diligence.

-AT



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