“In the past you have encouraged many people; you have strengthened those who were weak.
Your words have supported those who were falling; you encouraged those with shaky knees.
But now when trouble strikes, you lose heart. You are terrified when it touches you.
Doesn’t your reverence for God give you confidence? Doesn’t your life of integrity give you hope?
Maybe it's me, but it seems to be some sort of weapon specifically formed against God's older saints to render them ineffective. What's scary is, the weapon of choice is so easy to detect, yet, many seasoned Christians are falling by the wayside...what happened?
This weapon is discouragement. Many of God's choice saints are falling into a pit of despair and discouragement, and few struggle to ever get out. They've been simply reduced to becoming the shell of what they used to be...for the life of me, I don't know what happened.
Perhaps it's the culture or the society has evolved into this, 'What's in it for me?', type of mentality; but seriously, people need God's deliverance. 1st Sam 30: 6 - '...but David strengthened himself, in the Lord his God'
I believe if God's people would take a step back and reflect on All that God has done for them, and what He's planning to do, that would change their disposition. Sometimes, we need to remember who we were and where we've come from...sometimes, we get so caught up in the Christian duties, we fail to remember the King of kings...
Doing things for God is NOTHING compared to being with Him! Are you going to take an honest look at your walk with Christ and make necessary adjustments? Or are you simply gonna shrivel up and die because life has gotten a little rough? Our text tells us of a confidence that only God can give through our desire to break free from discouragement.
What we need to do is regain proper priority and perspective on who God truly is...He's the God of second chances, and grace is the means by which He delivers...never forget that.
