Discouragement. The weakening byproduct of fruitless hard work. The sad legacy of taking a stand and finding no one standing with us. The bitter outcome of great plans cut off. Some of God’s greatest servants found themselves in its grip. First Moses said “I am not able” then “the burden is too heavy for me” and finally “please kill me here and now” (Num. 11:14-15). After the great victory over the 450 prophets of Baal, Elijah believed “I alone am left" and therefore “prayed that he might die” since “they seek to take my life” (1Kings 19:4). This is what discouragement does to the best of God’s servants. But God helped them through these times of dismay and gave them victory. And he can do the same for us.
A common problem. In the midst of productive useful lives, many saints have felt these things. After a life of labor and toil, they look back to see very few tangible results. Noah built an ark and preached righteousness, yet in the end all that work only produced eight souls from his own family. After several years of hard and productive labor, John the Baptist found himself languishing in prison. Even though he had heard God say, “this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased,” his disappointment is evident in his question to Jesus. “Are you really the coming one or should we look for another?”(Lk. 7:19-23) Jesus was firm and clear. “Go and tell John ... blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” Though “among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist” (Mt. 11:7), discouragement brought him near to being offended (or stumbling) over Jesus' plans.
As we join God in working out his eternal purpose, we must learn to leave the results to God and simply keep working, even when it seems fruitless and hopeless. There is nothing we can do about results. What others do as a result of our effort is beyond our control. We must resist the temptation to blame ourselves.
Remember Isaiah who boldly said, “Here am I send me”. Yet after asking “Lord, how long?”, he was told “until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, The houses are without a man, The land is utterly desolate” (Isa 6:11). If Isaiah had hoped to make a difference, he learned it was not to be.
God later told Ezekiel what the real problem was. "Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them. ... But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted” (Ezek. 3:4,7). “Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them” (Ezek. 33:32).
Paul faced similar circumstances. He had “great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart” (Rom. 9:3), because he could not help Israel. He remained above discouragement by reminding himself: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase” (1Cor. 3:6-7). It hurt him that he could not help, but he did not take it personally. At the end of his life, his focus was on his effort, not the results. “I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2Tim. 1:12; 4:7).
Our Lord has lost many servants, elders, teachers, and preachers because of discouragement. He warned us that such things are part of our walk with him. There will be “many tribulations” (Acts 14:22) and those who endure are blessed (Mt. 5:10-12), yet sometimes they strike with such force, so close together, or from such an unexpected source, we are overwhelmed. The joy that should ease such anguish (Rom. 5:3-5; Jas. 1:3-5) is quenched.
"More than conquerors". Satan knows a serious setback at the right moment or in clusters can lead even the best of God’s servants to discouragement (Job 1:9-11). Yet Paul spoke with great confidence. Regardless of the difficulties we face we will always be “more than conquerors.” “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward” and “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” (Rom. 8:18; 8:31-38)
Since we are “more than conquerors,” victory is assured. “Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ” for since “God is for us who can be against us?” We are “more than conquerors” over “tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” Can we feel this confidence? Since we are victors, how can we be victims?
No trial or loss is worthy to be compared to the glory God will give us at the end of this life! From Noah, Isaiah, and Ezekiel we learn that even years of seemingly fruitless effort will be rewarded if we remain faithful. It is this faith that protects us from all fiery darts of the evil one (Eph. 6:16). God did not fault the one talent man for his lack of results, only for his lack of effort.
Job's example. Job was “more than conqueror” in his first trials. After losing his children and possessions, he was unmoved (Job 1:20-22). He never once considered his treatment to be unfair. He never felt sorry for himself. He was a “victor” when “he fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord." In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.”
Even after he lost his health, his wife’s support (Job 2:7-9), and his reputation(Job 30:1-10), he never wavered in his conviction that God was treating him fairly and that all would end well. It was the terrible advice, counsel and error his three “friends” that led to his downfall. They fanned the flames of self-pity and discouragement that led Job to “lean upon his own understanding.” When he began blaming God for his troubles he quickly changed from “victor to victim.” As a victim he “charged God foolishly”, “darkened counsel by words without knowledge” (38:2), “rebuked God” (40:2), sought to “annul My judgment”, and “condemned Me that you may be justified” (40:8).
Jeremiah's example. Jeremiah reached this same low after being mistreated for his preaching. He attributed it to God and made a statement similar to Job’s. He too began as the victor ("behold, I have made you this day A fortified city and an iron pillar, And bronze walls against the whole land — Against the kings of Judah, Against its princes, Against its priests, And against the people of the land. They will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you" (Jer. 1:18-19; 15:18-21). Yet he allowed himself to become a victim ("Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuses to be healed? will you indeed be unto me as a deceitful (brook), as waters that fail?") It felt to him like God was a deceitful brook. He had promised water, but now in the eyes of Jeremiah, it was dried up and had failed.
In his misery and dismay he became a victim. Like the ten spies, he could only see the obstacles and not the truth that God would sweep them away. God’s comfort was a call to repentance. “If you return, Then I will bring you back; You shall stand before Me; If you take out the precious from the vile, You shall be as My mouth. Let them return to you, But you must not return to them” (Jer. 15:18-19). Once Jeremiah did this, God could again make him the victor in this strife. “And I will make you to this people a fortified bronze wall; And they will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you; For I am with you to save you And deliver you, says the Lord.”
Conclusion. Job, Jeremiah, Moses, and Elijah reveal the danger and damage that discouragement can create. The very moment we think the words: “it’s not fair” we make ourselves a victim. The instant we feel begin to feel sorry for ourselves, victory slips from our grasp. The second we believe we have little worth in God’s kingdom, alarms and sirens should be warning us of our danger. We cannot be “more than conquerors” when we feel cheated or beaten down! We cannot “count it all joy” in every tribulation when struggling with self-pity.
God told us to do exactly what this article affirms. “Take for an example of suffering and of patience, the prophets who spake in the name of the Lord Behold, we call them’ blessed that endured: you have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, how that the Lord is full of pity, and merciful.” (James 5:10-11) These wise words of counsel can be so helpful to us in times of discouragement and despair.
If we are to “run with patience the race set before us”, we have to lay aside all the “weights” and ask God for the wisdom to view them with joy (James 1:2-8). We can only do this as long as we are the victors. If we are feeling like a victim, pray and remember the prophets.
As we join God in working out his eternal purpose, we must learn to leave the results to God and simply keep working, even when it seems fruitless and hopeless. There is nothing we can do about results. What others do as a result of our effort is beyond our control. We must resist the temptation to blame ourselves.
Remember Isaiah who boldly said, “Here am I send me”. Yet after asking “Lord, how long?”, he was told “until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, The houses are without a man, The land is utterly desolate” (Isa 6:11). If Isaiah had hoped to make a difference, he learned it was not to be.
God later told Ezekiel what the real problem was. "Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them. ... But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted” (Ezek. 3:4,7). “Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them” (Ezek. 33:32).
Paul faced similar circumstances. He had “great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart” (Rom. 9:3), because he could not help Israel. He remained above discouragement by reminding himself: “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase” (1Cor. 3:6-7). It hurt him that he could not help, but he did not take it personally. At the end of his life, his focus was on his effort, not the results. “I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2Tim. 1:12; 4:7).
Our Lord has lost many servants, elders, teachers, and preachers because of discouragement. He warned us that such things are part of our walk with him. There will be “many tribulations” (Acts 14:22) and those who endure are blessed (Mt. 5:10-12), yet sometimes they strike with such force, so close together, or from such an unexpected source, we are overwhelmed. The joy that should ease such anguish (Rom. 5:3-5; Jas. 1:3-5) is quenched.
"More than conquerors". Satan knows a serious setback at the right moment or in clusters can lead even the best of God’s servants to discouragement (Job 1:9-11). Yet Paul spoke with great confidence. Regardless of the difficulties we face we will always be “more than conquerors.” “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward” and “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” (Rom. 8:18; 8:31-38)
Since we are “more than conquerors,” victory is assured. “Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ” for since “God is for us who can be against us?” We are “more than conquerors” over “tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” Can we feel this confidence? Since we are victors, how can we be victims?
No trial or loss is worthy to be compared to the glory God will give us at the end of this life! From Noah, Isaiah, and Ezekiel we learn that even years of seemingly fruitless effort will be rewarded if we remain faithful. It is this faith that protects us from all fiery darts of the evil one (Eph. 6:16). God did not fault the one talent man for his lack of results, only for his lack of effort.
Job's example. Job was “more than conqueror” in his first trials. After losing his children and possessions, he was unmoved (Job 1:20-22). He never once considered his treatment to be unfair. He never felt sorry for himself. He was a “victor” when “he fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord." In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.”
Even after he lost his health, his wife’s support (Job 2:7-9), and his reputation(Job 30:1-10), he never wavered in his conviction that God was treating him fairly and that all would end well. It was the terrible advice, counsel and error his three “friends” that led to his downfall. They fanned the flames of self-pity and discouragement that led Job to “lean upon his own understanding.” When he began blaming God for his troubles he quickly changed from “victor to victim.” As a victim he “charged God foolishly”, “darkened counsel by words without knowledge” (38:2), “rebuked God” (40:2), sought to “annul My judgment”, and “condemned Me that you may be justified” (40:8).
Jeremiah's example. Jeremiah reached this same low after being mistreated for his preaching. He attributed it to God and made a statement similar to Job’s. He too began as the victor ("behold, I have made you this day A fortified city and an iron pillar, And bronze walls against the whole land — Against the kings of Judah, Against its princes, Against its priests, And against the people of the land. They will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you" (Jer. 1:18-19; 15:18-21). Yet he allowed himself to become a victim ("Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuses to be healed? will you indeed be unto me as a deceitful (brook), as waters that fail?") It felt to him like God was a deceitful brook. He had promised water, but now in the eyes of Jeremiah, it was dried up and had failed.
In his misery and dismay he became a victim. Like the ten spies, he could only see the obstacles and not the truth that God would sweep them away. God’s comfort was a call to repentance. “If you return, Then I will bring you back; You shall stand before Me; If you take out the precious from the vile, You shall be as My mouth. Let them return to you, But you must not return to them” (Jer. 15:18-19). Once Jeremiah did this, God could again make him the victor in this strife. “And I will make you to this people a fortified bronze wall; And they will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you; For I am with you to save you And deliver you, says the Lord.”
Conclusion. Job, Jeremiah, Moses, and Elijah reveal the danger and damage that discouragement can create. The very moment we think the words: “it’s not fair” we make ourselves a victim. The instant we feel begin to feel sorry for ourselves, victory slips from our grasp. The second we believe we have little worth in God’s kingdom, alarms and sirens should be warning us of our danger. We cannot be “more than conquerors” when we feel cheated or beaten down! We cannot “count it all joy” in every tribulation when struggling with self-pity.
God told us to do exactly what this article affirms. “Take for an example of suffering and of patience, the prophets who spake in the name of the Lord Behold, we call them’ blessed that endured: you have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, how that the Lord is full of pity, and merciful.” (James 5:10-11) These wise words of counsel can be so helpful to us in times of discouragement and despair.
If we are to “run with patience the race set before us”, we have to lay aside all the “weights” and ask God for the wisdom to view them with joy (James 1:2-8). We can only do this as long as we are the victors. If we are feeling like a victim, pray and remember the prophets.