There are times when every Christian becomes despondent, discouraged, and weary.
Sometimes, we become despondent because we don’t feel that we are important or needed…because we feel that we have no meaning or purpose…because we feel that we don’t matter.
But, Christian Brother or Sister, hear the word of the Lord…
Ephesians 2 – “(10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.“
Isaiah 49 – “(14) But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. (15) Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. (16) Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.“
1 John 4 – “(9) In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. (10) Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”
Zephaniah 3 – “(17) The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.”
Jeremiah 29 – “(11) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
Hebrews 3 – “(6) But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. (14) For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;”
As these scriptures reveal, YOU ARE important and meaningful to God! God thinks about you continually. God has good plans for you. God IS with you. You ARE God’s and He is NOT going to forget about you…or leave you barren of goodness, good works, or blessings.
Continuing on…
Sometimes, discouragement sets in because to the best of our ability we are seeking good…we are doing good…and we are being good…and yet, it seems as if the only thing coming back to us is the bad, the unwanted, and the unpleasant.
Sometimes, weariness sets in because it seems as if our labors for God and His Kingdom are achieving and accomplishing nothing.
Brother and Sister in the Lord, recall that which God has already told you…
2 Thessalonians 3 – “(13) But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.”
Galatians 6 – “(9) And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. (10) As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”
Psalms 27 – “(13) I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.”
Keep on believing that you WILL see God’s goodness, blessings, victory, deliverance, providence, or whatever it is that you need from the Lord…and you will SURELY see it.
Now, let’s go deeper…
Isaiah 40 – “(27) Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God? (28) Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. (29) He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. (30) Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: (31) But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
When we are discouraged and weary, it is so easy to start thinking that we are invisible to God…that God has doesn’t know about us…or that He has forgotten about us. It is easy to start thinking that God is not going to intervene in those situations where we need His divine intervention.
Well, God DOES see us CLEARLY. He KNOWS EXACTLY where we are at…and what we are going through. And, He WILL intervene.
However, it is important to notice that a key part of God’s intervention…a key part of the solution…includes US being increased in God’s power and strength.
God wants us to be more and do more. God wants to accomplish more in us and through us.
Yes, we must have patience…yes, we must wait upon the Lord…but God’s intervention and His solution for us will ALWAYS include our own improvement, growth, and development!
Let’s consider some more scriptures…
Romans 2 – “(5) …revelation of the righteous God; (6) Who will render to every man according to his deeds: (7) To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:”
1 Corinthians – “(58) Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”
2 Corinthians 4 – “(1) Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;”
Key to being discouraged and weary is FORGETTING what God has already done!
But, when we start with the recollection of God’s mercy upon us…when we recall that by God’s mercy we are not in a devil’s hell right now…we immediately have cause to be thankful and to rejoice.
From there, as we recall God’s subsequent and continued goodness in our life…as we recall God’s dispensations of blessings and victory upon us over the course of our life, our discouragement and weariness can only be vanquished.
Of course, deep down, we KNOW that what we are doing for the Lord is important…and we KNOW that God has not forgotten about us…we KNOW that it WILL be well with the righteous…and that takes us to this…
Hebrews 12 – “(3) For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
1 Peter 1 – “(13) Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;”
As Christians, “mind-management” is something that we are personally and individually responsible for. Mind-management is something that we MUST do day in and day out. Otherwise, we lose our victory and our joy…and, we make our self and our loved ones an easy prey for satan.
Let’s remember a couple more scriptures…
Ruth 2 – “(12) The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.“
Hebrews 10 – “(35) Cast not away therefore your confidence, which has great recompence of reward.”
Hebrews 6 – “(10) For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.”
Brother or Sister in Christ, be encouraged in your Christian walk with the Lord. Be reassured that your endeavors in God’s Kingdom are meaningful, important, and significant. And, be confident that the Lord WILL reward you fully.
Next…
2 Corinthians 5 – “(20) Now then we are ambassadors for Christ,”
Let us always remember that we are on our way to Heaven…where we will spend eternity with all that is good, righteous, and holy…a place where no evil of any kind exists. But for here and now, we are passing through…and we have been given a mission to spread the Gospel…we are called to be a witness of Jesus Christ to a lost world…we are ordained to go about doing good as ambassadors for Christ.
So, travel on weary pilgrim, this is not your home…you are on your way to a better place…be encouraged to keep doing good…be encouraged to continue showing the light of Jesus Christ as you journey through this life…and KNOW that all you are doing for the Kingdom of God IS important…it DOES matter…and in time, you WILL be richly rewarded for your good works and deeds.
And lastly, what verses from the Bible has the Lord given to you for encouragement…or given you to encourage others with?