Dealing With Discouragment

Introduction

Good morning. Appreciate Tim’s flexibility and song leading. If you look back at the clock behind you, it is currently 1 10. So if you’re really hungry, that’s why. It’s already 1 10. This is a good start to the laughter portion of the sermon this morning. In 1 Kings chapter 18, though, in 1 Kings chapter 18, there’s not a moment for laughter or even for tears, but for a great excitement. In fact, in 1 Kings chapter 18, it’s one of the most exciting victories that is found in the pages of Scripture, aside from the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In 1 Kings chapter 18, we have this confrontation between Elijah and the 450 prophets of Baal. You have great evil King Ahab in one corner with his wife Jezebel pulling all the strings as usual.

Baal worship is rampant among God’s people. And Elijah comes to them in this chapter and says, We have to put an end to this once and for all. There’s no reason to serve God and Baal. There is no reason to be focused upon just serving Baal. We need to recognize who is the one true and living God. Of course, if you look in 1 Kings chapter 18 and you recognize what was going to go on here, there was going to be a challenge offered, beginning in verse 23, as he has gathered together all of the men. He says in 1 Kings chapter 18 and verse 23, let two bowls be given to us, and let them choose one bowl for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it, and I will prepare the other bowl and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it.

You will call upon the name of your God, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God. And all the people answered, It is well spoken. So, of course, we see in verse 25, Elijah tells the prophets of Baal, you guys go first. In fact, they cried in verse 26. They prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning to noon, saying, Oh, Baal, answer us. But of course, there was no voice, and no one answered. And in verse 27, Elijah’s great fun comes out. At noon, Elijah mocked them, saying, Cry aloud, for he is a God. Either he is musing or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.

And so, verse 28, they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances until the blood gushed out upon them. And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation. But there was no voice. No one answered. No one paid attention. And we know the story. We know that the prophets of Baal failed, not because of anything they were doing wrong, other than the fact that they were calling out to a non existent, fake man-made God. So Elijah’s turn comes up next, and beginning in verse 30, he doesn’t just call out to God to light the offering on fire. He says, No, no, no, no, no. I mocked you because I said, Well, maybe your God’s asleep, maybe he’s traveling.

I’m going to show you the power of the God, who we should be worshiping. And so what happens? He has the offering in the sacrifice area doused in water. In fact, how much so? That it was standing around it. And finally Elijah calls out to his God, and what does God do? That’s the sound of fire coming. He comes and immediately licks up not only the sacrifice, but all of the water contained there. This was real, solid proof to the people of Israel that God was real, that Baal was fake, a fraud, made up. This was a great moment of faith. The people had agreed. The 450 prophets of Baal had said, This is a good test. Whoever wins this challenge, we will worship him as God.

And God won the challenge. And so you have this great victory. In fact, if you look then at verse 36, at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet had came near, he cried out to the Lord. He cried for him to answer him, and he did in verse 38. The fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering. And in verse 39, when all the people saw it, what did they do? They fell on their faces and said, The Lord, he is God. The Lord, he is God. And Elijah said to them, seize the prophets of Baal, let none of them escape, and they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Heshan and slaughtered them there. This was a tremendous victory for God.

This was a victory for Elijah who had been dwelling for so long with these idolatrous people who kept rejecting God. And he is at this pinnacle of victory. This great miracle has happened. He made the challenge harder. God still licked up all the water. He slaughtered the prophets of Baal. The people had fallen down on their faces and worshiped God. And in chapter 19, we see this great encouraged prophet Elijah at perhaps his most dark moment.

But also we have to remember that if you’re in a peak of life, that there’s going to be a valley soon thereafter. In chapter 19, if you’ll read the first four verses with me as I was read to begin our worship service, note how Elijah is recovering from this great victory for God. Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah saying, So may the gods do to me, and more also if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow. And he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree, and he asked that he might die, saying, It is enough now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my father’s. What I want us to study this morning is not the well-known text of chapter 18 in Mount Carmel, but to consider how did Elijah go so quickly from this great victory where God unilaterally proved to all of Israel he is God and there is no other, to having to run for his life, to finding himself in verse 4 asking God, saying, O Lord, it is enough for me, take away my life. How did God deal with Elijah? How was he this great prophet of God who understood God perhaps better than any other in his day?

How is it that he could get discouraged? And how do we deal with discouragement ourselves? Consider that even Elijah faced discouragement is a substantial point in and of itself. The fact that Elijah, the prophet of God, who knew God so well, who had been reasoning with his people for so long, the fact that even he could face discouragement is a true testament to myself that I have to remember I will be discouraged at some point. To follow after God implies sacrifice. Look at how God’s people were treated. Look at how his special servants, the prophets, and the most special son of all, Jesus the Christ. How was he treated by the people? How were they treated by God’s people, even? They were often met with jealousy, scorn, ridicule, and persecution.

Elijah was no different. Even though he had just had this monumental victory, he was forced to flee. Of course, why was it that he was discouraged? Was it God’s fault? Was it doing the work of God that was just utterly exhausting Elijah? No, of course not. Look in chapter 19 and verse 1. You’ll see both names right off the bat. Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done. And if you’ve read any part of the Old Testament Bible story, when you have Ahab and Jezebel plotting something in a room, it’s not good for God’s people. Discouragement comes from wickedness. Discouragement happens in a world that is imperfect because our perfect God cannot dwell in and will not dwell in an area where his people are full of all types of wickedness and sin.

It is why it’s such an amazing thing that Jesus came and died on the cross for our sins, that we could be made holy and blameless, that as his people, that we are living for a life, a place, a destination that is better than here and now. But while we’re here and now, we have to recognize that discouragement comes most often from wickedness in an imperfect world. Cries of life is not fair, would certainly apply here. There was nothing fair about what Elijah was facing. There was nothing reasonable, right, or expected, other than to know that Ahab and Jezebel are terribly wicked. They brought in the Baal worship and ramped it up, you might say, at least by a thousand percent, and that they did not want their prophets to be embarrassed.

They did not want this Elijah fellow taking away their following. But if you keep reading, we’ll see Elijah really is bottoming out here, beginning in verse 5. He lay down and slept under a broom tree, and behold, an angel touched him and said to him, Arise and eat. He looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you. And he arose, ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.

This is not a stunning picture of Elijah. I don’t want to underestimate what’s happening here. We have Elijah, who is a great prophet of God, who has had a great victory. Yes, he was forced to flee for his life, but you say, Well, Elijah, you should know this is a powerful thing. The section of scripture we skipped over, the end of chapter 18, rain is finally sent through, or you might say, to an extent by the hand of Elijah, certainly owing to the power of God. And yet he’s facing this great discouragement to where he in verse 4 asked for his life to be taken. And in verses 5 through 8, we find him just laying down, hiding out, discouraged, and in despair. But note how God responds.

Do you see that already in these verses, God is taking care of, taking note of who Elijah is, and what he will do for him? In fact, in verse 9, there he came to a cave and lodged in it, and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah? He said, I have been very jealous for the Lord the God of hosts, for the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, throw down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only am left. And they seek my life to take it away. And he said, Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, and behold, the Lord passed by.

A great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces of the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire, and after the fire the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him saying, What are you doing here, Elijah? He said, I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only am left, and they seek my life to take it away.

And the Lord said to him, Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazel to be king over Syria, and Jehu, the son of Nimshe, you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elijah the son of Shaphat of Ibamaholah, you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elijah put to death. Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him. Now here is Elijah, discouraged and in despair, we’re not judging him for that. He had to flee for his life.

It was a common sense precaution. Jezebel wanted him dead, so he fled. But here is God approaching him, and in verse 9, he says, What are you doing? And what does Elijah say in verse 10? What am I doing? I’ve spent my whole life fighting for you. I have been jealous for you, God. I have been dealing with a people who have profaned your covenant, who have worshipped idol gods, and now they’re seeking to kill me. How does God respond? I think pretty powerfully in verse 11, what does he say? He says, Go out, stand on the mount before the Lord, and what did God do? And behold, the Lord passed by. Do you see the series of what Elijah would take in? A great and strong wind that tore through the mountains, broke in pieces the rocks, and then after the wind there was an earthquake, and then there was fire.

Elijah just witnessed something amazing, miraculous on the heels of not too long ago, having this great monumental victory at Mount Carmel. And so, with all this pride, with all this excitement, with all this show of signs of faith and the need to trust in God no matter what, how does Elijah respond in verse 14? I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only am left, and they seek my life to take it away. This doesn’t paint the best picture of Elijah for us. I think we can understand that he’s struggling. And I think the right way to understand this is to say that even God’s best will suffer apart from God.

Even those whose faith is strong and built will face discouraging moments in life. The question is, how do we respond to them? And how does God want us to understand where he is in all of this suffering? When we think about Elijah, though, we see a man not only who is in discouragement and despair, but even when God shows him who he is, shows his power, shows his mind. When we give in to the depths of discouragement and despair, there is sometimes almost nothing that will shake us. Do you see that with Elijah there in this chapter? Even being shown this great sign, he once again repeats his lament. I have tried hard. The people are ignoring me. I alone am left. The key is that we have to either not fall into discouragement proactively by trusting in God, or when we face discouragement, three things we have to always know this morning.

1. Difficulty Does Not Have to Define You

We must always know first and foremost that difficulty does not have to define you. We have to know as Christians, as God’s people, that difficulty does not have to define you. But in the midst of an optimistic lesson, an optimistic turn on discouragement, can I offer one more word of warning? Difficulty does not have to define you, but if we’re not careful, it will. We can let difficulty define us. It doesn’t have to, that’s not the way God intended it. But if we make our life about our difficulty rather than about our God, that will define us. When we think about our moments of despair, when we think about what we’re suffering with, maybe it’s a choice we made that we regret, that we can’t take back the physical consequences of.

Maybe it’s an injury, maybe it’s some sort of medical diagnosis that we don’t know how to handle, we don’t know how to deal with it, how to move on to get past it. We just see ourselves as a victim, and perhaps rightfully so. If you look at 1 Kings 18 and 19, was Elijah a victim? Yes, he was. Of Ahab and Jezebel. Difficulty, though, doesn’t have to define you. How did God see Elijah? God saw Elijah as his prophet. Someone who was struggling, and what did God do with Elijah when he was laying in the cave? Provided him food and drink. What did he do when Elijah was discouraged? He said, You go stand on the cleft of the rock, and I will show you who I am.

We have to know difficulty must not define us. If you look at Genesis chapter 37, in Genesis chapter 37, perhaps the best example of this is Joseph. And sometimes we get caught up in the difficulty and we say, This is just who I am now. This is my cross to bear. And in some cases that’s true, but it depends on what we mean by that. In Genesis chapter 37, we run into Joseph, and if you want a good life lesson that has a little bit outside to do with Scripture, if you want to have a good relationship with brothers and sisters, we learn from Genesis 37, shockingly, don’t tell them that they all have to bow down to you later in life. That’s what Joseph did.

He said, I had a dream, you’re all going to bow down to me. And by the way, not just you, Dad, mom, you are going to bow down to me as well. Of course, we understand this would happen. We understand the life of Joseph. We understand that God was using him providentially to allow safe keeping for his people in a time of famine. But look at Genesis chapter 37. What is Joseph’s reward for this? Beginning in verse 24. They, his brothers, took him and threw him into the pit. Verse 25, then they sat down to eat, and looking up, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh on their way to carry it down to Egypt. Then Judah said to his brothers, What prophet is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?

Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our own hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh. And his brothers listened to him. Then Midianite traders passed by, and they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt. So just a quick life check-in of Joseph, this great man of faith who was interpreting these dreams, undoubtedly given to him by God. As Joseph is here, he’s in the pit. Did he deserve that? We can say it probably wasn’t the wisest thing to talk about other people bowing down to you and your family. It doesn’t really help sibling rivalry much. But nonetheless, he didn’t deserve to be in a pit.

And you can imagine Joseph standing in the pit saying, wait a minute, this isn’t fair. What’s going on, God? I don’t deserve this. How about chapter 39? We know the story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife, and day after day she was trying to seduce him, and finally he’s close enough to where she grabs his cloak and he flees. He stands up for righteousness. He does what God would have him do. He tells her in the previous verses, I can’t commit this great wickedness and sin against God. He’s doing the right thing, but because she has his cloak, when he runs out, what does she say? That Hebrew slave, Joseph, was trying to lie with me, he was trying to make a mockery of the household of Potiphar.

And Joseph finds himself where for his righteous action. In jail. At any point, Joseph could have been in the pit and in jail saying, What is happening? This isn’t fair. This isn’t right. I don’t deserve this. I’m going to turn from God. I’m going to blame God. Difficulty does not have to define you, just like we know with Joseph. We understand his story. We don’t read it, I don’t think, with our proper sympathy, because we know he’s going to end up second in all of Egypt, that he’s going to be such a hero on a world and biblical scale, that we really don’t feel that sorry for him along the way. We’re like, Joseph, just hang on. It’ll be okay. Joseph, just get out of the pit.

Don’t worry. You’re going to Egypt for God’s purposes. Joseph, don’t worry, you’re going to be in jail. Why? So you can interpret dreams so eventually you can be brought before Pharaoh. Don’t worry, Joseph, just hold on. But when I’m going through difficulty, when I’m discouraged and in despair, even like Elijah, I can get so walked down in it. I don’t want to hear, just wait. I don’t want to hear, just hold on. I don’t even necessarily want to hear, hey, there’s something better for you. God has something better, maybe not in this life, but certainly to be with him for all of eternity. Sometimes that doesn’t comfort me the way it should. If we’re being honest, it’s because we understand that when we are in the throes of difficulty, despair, and discouragement.

Sometimes we allow ourselves to be defined by it. Satan can take even the best of us and pull us down with discouragement and despair. Well-known illustration of the devil putting up a yard sale. And on the day of the sale, someone came and looked, and he had a bunch of shiny and new tools that were all different prices. And as they were going down, they looked at all these shiny tools, they looked at the prices, thought they were pretty steep. They saw lying, they saw envy, jealousy, greed. Finally they came to this one well worn tool that had a price significantly higher than all the rest. And yet it looked so worn that the customer had to ask, What is this? And why is it so expensive?

The devil said, Oh, this is my favorite tool. This is discouragement. Why is it so expensive? Because it’s more useful to me than all the others. I can pry open the door of even the most faithful soul. I can take the most excited and enthusiastic Christian and make them question why they ever began following after God. Discouragement works with everybody. And so this will get the job done. Of course, it’s a silly illustration, but we recognize there’s truth there. Who do we see suffering in the biblical story that we studied this morning, Elijah? Who suffers despair and discouragement throughout the scriptures? Basically, every follower of God that we have an extensive report on. We’ve reached times in life where we are going to be in the valleys.

2. In Times of Discouragement, You Are Not Alone

But we have to understand that not only in this life difficulty cannot be allowed to define us, but that we aren’t here for now. We live for a spiritual home with God. We have to know that. We have to think and understand, just like we would tell Joseph, hold on. God wants something better for you. That we’re not defined by our weaknesses, we’re not defined by our problems. We as God’s children are defined by God’s love, grace, and mercy. But you have to be God’s child for that benefit. Of course, secondly, consider, perhaps most importantly, in times of discouragement, you are not alone. In times of discouragement, it’s easy to say, I am defined by my struggle, I’m forever going to be stuck this way, or to maybe say, nobody cares, or I’m all alone in this.

And that’s what Elijah was saying. I alone, Lord, am left. I alone am your servant jealous for you. And of course, we know that’s not true. If you look at 1 Kings chapter 18 and you read the first 16 verses, there’s this man mentioned multiple times named Obadiah. In the first several verses, he’s described as a man who fears the Lord greatly. By the way, Obadiah is the reason Elijah was able to get that whole Mount Carmel thing started. Elijah knew. So why would he say that? Perhaps some hyperbolic speech, but also perhaps because why? He was in the throes of discouragement. When we allow ourselves to be discouraged, we back up into a corner. And sometimes we won’t want to come out. The further we back up, the farther we get off the path, the harder it is to get back on.

But we have to know God wants something better for us. He has something better for us, even here and now. Look in Acts chapter 2. In Acts chapter 2, another monumental time in biblical history. On the day of Pentecost, Peter preaches this great sermon teaching the Jews about Jesus, the Christ, chosen by God. Chosen by God to what? To come to this earth, to be crucified on the cross for our sins and to be raised to walk in newness of life, so that we could follow after him as well. But in Acts chapter 2, note the joy, note the togetherness that God has in mind for his people. In this model, this first church in Acts chapter 2, beginning in verse 44. And all who believed were together and had all things in common.

And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all as any had need. And day by day attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. If you’re struggling this morning, if you’re facing discouragement, please know.

I am here for you. The elders are here for you. People sitting in the pews next to you, in front of you, behind you, are here for you. This is what Christians do. God’s people are united in faith, united by a loving, merciful, caring God, and we show love, mercy, and care to others as well. There is no circumstance that should break us apart. There is nothing that someone should do to where they stop gaining affection and love in terms of feeling like the world’s against them. If you’re ever like Elijah, when I feel like Elijah, I have to remember I am not alone. Isaiah chapter 41, we read the significance of our great God. Turn with me to Isaiah chapter 41. Perhaps no more comforting words are found than in these four verses.

These four or five verses if we read through verse 14. Isaiah chapter 41, beginning in verse 10, as God is comforting his people. See, is challenging them to know of a better time, of the comfort and guidance and almighty rock that he is. In Isaiah 41 and verse 10, he says, Fear not, for I am with you. Be not dismayed. Why? For I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Behold, all who are incensed against you shall be put to shame and confounded. Those who strive against you shall be as nothing and shall perish. You shall seek those who contend with you, but you shall not find them. Those who war against you shall be as nothing at all.

For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand. It is I who say to you, fear not. I am the one who helps you. Do you see that in verse 13? Not only does God say, fear not, he tells us why. Why not fear? We are not alone. God is with his people. And what will he do? Look at the second part of verse 13 with me. Fear not. I am the one who helps you. We have to know that I am not alone. Loneliness, despair, discouragement, and difficulty will pull away even the best from God. And so we have to prep ourselves. If you’re at life’s peak right now, we have to prep ourselves knowing a valley is coming. Know now. Find now. Christians to be around you.

And most importantly, find, develop and hone a true relationship with God that allows you to accept the benefits of a God who says, fear not, for I am with you. And if you’re in the valley right now, please know. We are with you. You are not alone. And most importantly, even if we all failed you, even if the reason for discouragement are those people that I’m putting forth as examples today, God is with you. One of the biggest senses of discouragement is when we put people on a pedestal that they fall off from. Or when people don’t act the way we should. But that problem never happens with God. He is always there. He is always loving. He is always guiding and caring for those who are truly his people and his children.

3. God Will Always Care for His People

So don’t let difficulty define you. Don’t think that you are alone. And recognize and embrace the idea that God will always care for his people. If you look in Philippians chapter 4, we’re going to look at two sets of verses here as we move towards concluding the lesson this morning. In Philippians chapter 4, as we understand heartache and stress in this life, we have to know there’s something better. That God has something greater for us to come. But in the meantime, we have to have a rock. We have to have that abiding presence to get through. And that is the Lord. That is that he will care for his people. He won’t only keep us from loneliness or unhappiness, but He wants us to have true lasting joy and peace found in only one spot.

In Philippians chapter 4, beginning in verse 4, rejoice in the Lord always again. I say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding. Do you see this with me? Will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. How powerful. How wonderful. God could easily say, I want you Christians, when you’re struggling, read Hebrews chapter 11. Recognize that Noah faced trials. Recognize that Abel was killed. Recognize that Moses faced trials. Read the end of Hebrews chapter 11. You see, not only did God conquer kingdoms with faith, not only did he stop the mouse of lions, but his servants were put to death.

They were slaughtered. Sawn in two. He could have just said, You look for that heavenly city whose builder and maker is God. But he doesn’t. Our loving great God says, not only do you put your trust in me for the life after, you trust me now. And understand just a hint of the benefits in verse 7. The peace of God which surpasses all understanding. It’s not just about getting peace. What does it do, verse 7? Do you see this action word? Will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. I think sometimes we read Philippians 4 and we say, I want the peace. I need to have peace. And that’s true. That’s important. That’s an important takeaway, especially when you look at verse 9. The God of peace will be with you.

But do you notice verse 7? What does it say? The peace of God which surpasses understanding will what? Actively work for you. It will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. The only way to beat discouragement is to follow the pattern, even of 1 Kings 19, and to be like Elijah and to say, there is God taking care of his servant. You see it in three different ways. When Elijah’s laying in the cave, what does God do? First of all, can I point out he knows Elijah’s there? And he gives him food and drink. Not once, but twice. And the second time, he gave him food and drink that lasted Elijah how long? For the 40-day journey. God knows our needs. He takes care of his people.

But then, of course, when Elijah is discouraged and he says, I alone am left, God says, No, you are not alone. There are 7,000 who have not taken the need to bail. There are 7,000 who still worship me. You have to know you’re not alone, Elijah. But moreover than that, God said, I want you to see me. Stand on the edge. See me as I pass by. See the mighty power of God in earthquake, wind, and even in Joseph fire. Know I’m there. Know I’ll care for you. I will guard you. I will be your God. And you will be my people. A refrain for God for his people for generations. And Psalm chapter 34, if you’ll turn there as we conclude the lesson this morning, recognize that whether you’re not there yet, please prepare.

Conclusion

Or if you are in the depths of despair, God is with you. And none can beat God. But this city, this life is not what it’s about. But trusting in God is. People may fail you, but God won’t. Methods to be happy may fail you, but God’s true choice, true source of joy and peace won’t. People fail. People are weak. Even great prophets like Elijah. Each and every one of us will have or have already faced discouragement in our lives. We have to trust God. In Psalm 34, beginning in verse 15. The eyes of the Lord are towards the righteous and his ears towards their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all of their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. One of the most important lessons we can learn on discouragement is that it doesn’t make you a bad Christian. It doesn’t make you someone suffering. It doesn’t make you someone without hope. Elijah faced discouragement. Moses faced discouragement. We will face discouragement too. What will define us is not discouragement or despair unless we allow it. But how we respond, who we turn to in our time of need. Do we claim to be alone or do we claim to trust God? Do we know that God is there?

Do we know that as verse 19 concludes, the afflictions of the righteous will happen and they are many, but that the Lord will deliver his people out of them all. Praise our mighty and awesome God who cares for his people. He knows who we are, and will always take care of us. Will you go to God in prayer with me? Our dear God and most gracious, loving and merciful Heavenly Father. We praise your great name, and we thank you for being our everlasting God. We thank you for being a God who desires to be our Heavenly Father, to hear our concerns, to know what they are, and to care for your people. Thank you for that blessing. Forgive us of when we sin, forgive us of when we doubt, forgive us of when we don’t trust you the way we should.

Help us to stand up against the wickedness that causes so much discouragement and despair. Help us to look forward to that city which you have designed for your people, where you are, where we can be holy and blameless, with you, worshiping your great name forevermore. Thank you for sending Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. We pray that we learn from his example that if Jesus was persecuted, so will we following after him. But that just as Jesus struck to your will, that if we do that as well, we can be with both of you for all of eternity. Thank you for being our great God. Thank you for every single blessing we have thanked you for specifically and generically. You are God. Help us be your people.

It’s in your Son’s name we pray. Amen.