“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” (Psalm 34:18 NLT)
Discouragement is Satan’s most effective tool in dealing with those of us who are seeking to follow Jesus. On some levels it’s like a gut punch, you may not even see it coming, but you certainly feel its agonizing effects.
Are you discouraged today? Hear the words of the Prophet Isaiah: “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” Child of God, in your desperation you are not alone!
Pastor Rick Warren wrote: “Life is filled with unexpected circumstances. Some of them knock you flat on your back! They make you feel like the roof of your life has caved in. What do you do when your world collapses? When the dreaded phone call comes? When the divorce papers arrive? When the bankruptcy is filed? The first question many people ask is, ‘Who cares about me?’”
Are you feeling uncared for today? I assure you on the authority of God’s Word and His powerful Spirit who resides in you child of God, that nothing will prevent Him from comforting, healing, and helping you in your time of need.
There have been seasons of my life when all I wanted to do was die. It seemed I had to look up to see the bottom, but I can bear witness to the truth that the Lord has NEVER FAILED to make His presence known and to lift me with His strong, loving arms to a place of refreshment and restoration. It’s ironic that we so quickly forget that Satan is a liar. Just as God will never speak a lie, Satan is incapable of speaking truth, yet, in our downtrodden condition we so quickly fall for Satan’s lies.
He whispers things like: “Where is God when you need Him? You’re worthless! Who are you to believe God will do anything for you? If you’re so close to God, why does He allow you to feel like you do?” and on and on he goes until, by God’s grace and with His strength we respond by acknowledging our dependence upon our heavenly Father by shouting in our spirit: “I’m a child of God! God will never leave me nor forsake me; He’s a very present help in my time of need; I walk by faith and not by sight! He will deliver me in His time and in His way, and even while I’m walking through this difficult valley, I am learning things about myself and my Savior that I can learn in no other way!”
It’s in those seasons that it’s so vital that I remember the words of my Father when He says: “I am the Lord, who opened a way through the waters, making a dry path through the sea. I called forth the mighty army of Egypt with all its chariots and horses. I drew them beneath the waves, and they drowned, their lives snuffed out like a smoldering candlewick. But forget all that – it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new.”
Isn’t it wonderful that there are always new things the Lord wants to do and to bring into our lives, regardless of how old we are or how long we’ve walked with Him. God is always about new things, thus the reason He challenges us with discouragement with old things.
Have you noticed that often when we’re discouraged it’s to reveal to us the worthlessness of holding on to old ideas, old methods, old conceptions of God and the old ways He’s worked? God isn’t limited in the ways He can teach us, lead us, equip us, prepare us, and direct us onto paths that are hard at first, but lead to the most beautiful visions of Himself.
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 