Are You Discouraged?

“So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. Now it happened, when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being restored and the gaps were beginning to be closed, that they became very angry, and all of them conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion. Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night. Then Judah said, ‘The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so much rubbish that we are not able to build the wall.’”

NEHEMIAH 4:6-10

 

PONDER THIS

Discouragement is one of life’s most deadly diseases. It’s universal and it’s recurring but, thank God, it can be cured. What are the causes of discouragement? There’s the problem of fatigue. People become worn out. In this story from Nehemiah, God’s people were worn out; they were weighed down. When you follow the Lord, you will face tough times. Serving the Lord Jesus Christ is not always glamorous. You can’t build without stones, but those stones sometimes are buried in rubbish. But you can’t build on rubbish, either. It’s not going to be all easy. If the devil cannot laugh you out of service to the Lord Jesus Christ in your personal life and corporate life, he will try to discourage you. He’ll come when the job is half done and say, “It can’t be done! You are worn out. You are weighed down. Give up!” But with Jesus, we can persevere.

What are some things that discourage you from moving forward in your faith?

What is something God has called you to do that you haven’t followed through with?

PRACTICE THIS

Encourage your pastors and pray God would protect them from discouragement.

 

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers