Daily Devotion: A Tip About Discouragement

[D4L]

View media item 61154Good morning my dear friends in Christ!

“And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” - I Kings 19:14

With all that Elijah accomplished, his faith to wait at Cherith, his faith to move to Zarephath, his courage to face Ahab and the prophets of Baal…yes, with all the victories he had, yet he was discouraged. He felt alone, as if no one else cared. Have you ever been discouraged before? It’s always wise to remember to hang in there, joy comes in the morning. I recently read what William Ward, the missionary of years ago, once said about discouragement... #D4Ldevotion #D4L #Christian

Refreshing Daily in God's Word: Daily Devotion: A Tip About Discouragement

 

[brinny]

Ahhhhhh, Elijah. Yes, he was beyond discouragement. He was beyond weary, and well, was just depleted, and THEN some.

Now God, however, KNEW this. He KNEW that Elijah was depleted, physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Soooooooo did God get "mad" at Elijah? What exactly DID God do? CHASTISE Elijah? SLAM him?

The bottom line is, did Elijah "sin"?

Getting back to this dear man of God, William Ward, said about "discouragement", i would have to gently and politely and most pointedly disagree with this dear dear man, my brother in Christ.

is it a "sin" to be "discouraged", to find oneself in "despair", to be in "agony" of mind, soul, and spirit?

Well let's take a look at who God described as a "man after His own heart", and the "apple of His eye". David was waaaay beyond discouragement and anguish too many times to count, right there in Psalms. Then there was Job. All ten of his children were killed instantaneously, amongst one disaster after another, falling like dominoes, all around him. And then there was a horrid plague with the oozing sores all over his body, head to foot, with WORMS "IN" them, and at his worst possible moment, who comes to, in essence, "kick him in the teeth"? His WIFE.

And then there's Jesus Himself. Was He "discouraged" when He cried out from the cross "My God my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?"

Did either of these men "sin"? Did Jesus?

The bottom line, is that God tells us to "come to HIM" in our discouragement. He tells us that He is the Lifter of our head.

Getting back to Elijah, what did God do? God did this:

He "fed" Elijah, and He made him go to sleep, at least twice.

He "ministered" to him.

And we are to do the same for our brothers and sisters in their weariness and discouragement.

We are to "minister" to them.

And pray that God is the "Lifter of their head".

And in the meantime, so should we be "lifting up their cast-down heads".

A riveting and thought provoking study and meditation, on this crisp and cold, and sunny Friday morning in January, my friend.

Thank you and God bless you.

 

[D4L]

Ahhhhhh, Elijah. Yes, he was beyond discouragement. He was beyond weary, and well, was just depleted, and THEN some.

Now God, however, KNEW this. He KNEW that Elijah was depleted, physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Soooooooo did God get "mad" at Elijah? What exactly DID God do? CHASTISE Elijah? SLAM him?

The bottom line is, did Elijah "sin"?

Getting back to this dear man of God, William Ward, said about "discouragement", i would have to gently and politely and most pointedly disagree with this dear dear man, my brother in Christ.

is it a "sin" to be "discouraged", to find oneself in "despair", to be in "agony" of mind, soul, and spirit?

Well let's take a look at who God described as a "man after His own heart", and the "apple of His eye". David was waaaay beyond discouragement and anguish too many times to count, right there in Psalms. Then there was Job. All ten of his children were killed instantaneously, amongst one disaster after another, falling like dominoes, all around him. And then there was a horrid plague with the oozing sores all over his body, head to foot, with WORMS "IN" them, and at his worst possible moment, who comes to, in essence, "kick him in the teeth"? His WIFE.

And then there's Jesus Himself. Was He "discouraged" when He cried out from the cross "My God my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?"

Did either of these men "sin"? Did Jesus?

The bottom line, is that God tells us to "come to HIM" in our discouragement. He tells us that He is the Lifter of our head.

Getting back to Elijah, what did God do? God did this:

He "fed" Elijah, and He made him go to sleep, at least twice.

He "ministered" to him.

And we are to do the same for our brothers and sisters in their weariness and discouragement.

We are to "minister" to them.

And pray that God is the "Lifter of their head".

And in the meantime, so should we be "lifting up their cast-down heads".

A riveting and thought provoking study and meditation, on this crisp and cold, and sunny Friday morning in January, my friend.

Thank you and God bless you.

Good morning to you Brinny and thank you for your thoughtful comments. PGIF! Hope you have a blessed Friday!

 

[brinny]

Good morning to you Brinny and thank you for your thoughtful comments. PGIF! Hope you have a blessed Friday!

Hahaaa! Yes!!! PGIF!!!! And a most blessed Friday to you as well, my friend.

It's s'posed to snow here...a possible snow storm....stay warm, my friend.

 

[brinny]

As i think on, and meditate on today's study, this verse comes to mind: