134 Sermon Illustrations on Discouragement

An old missionary couple [Henry C. Morrison, according to another version] had been working in Africa for years and were returning to New York to retire. They had no pension; their health was broken; they were defeated, discouraged, and afraid. They discovered they were booked on the same ship as President Teddy Roosevelt, who was returning from one of his big-game hunting expeditions.

No one paid any attention to them. They watched the fanfare that accompanied the President's entourage, with passengers trying to catch a glimpse of the great man.

As the ship moved across the ocean, the old missionary said to his wife, "Something is wrong. Why should we have given our lives in faithful service for God in Africa all these many years and have no one care a thing about us? Here this man comes back from a hunting trip and everybody makes much over him, but nobody gives two hoots about us."

"Dear, you shouldn't feel that way," his wife said.

"I can't help it; it doesn't seem right."

When the ship docked in New York, a band was waiting to greet the President. The mayor and other dignitaries were there. The papers were full of the President's arrival, but no one noticed this missionary couple. They slipped off the ship and found a cheap flat on the East Side, hoping the next day to see what they could do to make a living in the city.

That night the man's spirit broke. He said to his wife, "I can't take this; God is not treating us fairly."

His wife replied, "Why don't you go in the bedroom and tell that to the Lord?"

A short time later he came out from the bedroom, but now his face was completely different. His wife asked, "Dear, what happened?"

"The Lord settled it with me," he said. "I told him how bitter I was that the President should receive this tremendous homecoming, when no one met us as we returned home. And when I finished, it seemed as though the Lord put his hand on my shoulder and simply said, 'But you're not home yet!'"

Yes, there are rewards for faithfulness, but not necessarily down here.

Assaulted by the enemy’s accusations, it’s all too easy to slide from discouragement into despair, but there is One who can break the deadly grip of disillusionment.

I once read through all the miracle stories of the Gospels and found they reveal remarkably different degrees of faith. A few people demonstrated bold, unshakable faith, such as a centurion who told Jesus he need not bother with a visit - just a word would heal his servant long-distance. "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith," Jesus remarked, astonished.

Another time, a foreign woman pursued Jesus as he was seeking peace and quiet. At first Jesus answered her not a word. Then he replied sharply, telling her he was sent to the lost sheep of Israel, not to "dogs." But nothing could deter this Canaanite woman, and her perseverance won Jesus over. "Woman, you have great faith!" he said.

Jesus seemed impressed that, as foreigners, these were the least likely people to demonstrate great faith. Why should a centurion and a Canaanite put their trust in a Messiah his own countrymen had trouble accepting? These stories threaten me, because seldom do I have such outstanding faith. Unlike the Canaanite woman, I am easily discouraged by the silence of God. I identify more readily with the wavering man who declared to Jesus, "I believe, Lord. Help my unbelief!"

To my surprise, I found the people who knew Jesus best faltered in their faith. Jesus could do few miracles in his hometown because of his neighbors' lack of faith. John the Baptist, who had heard a decisive voice from heaven at Jesus' baptism, later questioned him. And several times Jesus remarked with astonishment on the 12 disciples' faithlessness. Jesus' three most intimate disciples saw a dramatic miracle shortly before his death. On the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus' face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. The dazed disciples found themselves in the presence of two long-dead giants of history, Moses and Elijah.

Yet what impact did such a stupendous event have? Shortly, the eyewitnesses of the Transfiguration joined the rest of the Twelve in abandoning - denying, in Peter's case - Jesus in his hour of deepest need.

We easily forget that Judas had for three years watched Jesus work great miracles and listened to his teaching; even so, he betrayed Jesus. Another disciple, "doubting Thomas," gained the reputation as a skeptic, but in truth, all the disciples showed a lack of faith. None of them believed the wild reports the women brought back from the empty tomb. Even after Jesus appeared to them in person, says Matthew, "some doubted." A curious law of reversal seems to be at work in the Gospels: Faith appears where least expected and falters where it should be thriving.

I remember my first visit to Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park. Rings of Japanese and German tourists surrounded the geyser, their video cameras trained like weapons on the famous hole in the ground. A large, digital clock stood beside the spot, predicting 24 minutes until the next eruption.

My wife and I passed the countdown in the dining room of Old Faithful Inn overlooking the geyser. When the digital clock reached one minute, we, along with every other diner, left our seats and rushed to the windows to see the big, wet event. I noticed that immediately, as if on signal, a crew of busboys and waiters descended on the tables to refill water glasses and clear away dirty dishes. When the geyser went off, we tourists oohed and aahed and clicked our cameras; a few spontaneously applauded. But, glancing back over my shoulder, I saw that not a single waiter or busboy - not even those who had finished their chores - looked out the huge windows. Old Faithful, grown entirely too familiar, had lost its power to impress them.

A little later, our church back in Chicago faced something of a crisis. The pastor had left, attendance was flagging, a community outreach program now seem threatened. The leadership suggested an all-night vigil of prayer. Several people raised questions. Was it safe, given our inner-city neighborhood? Should we hire guards or escorts for the parking lot? What if no one showed up? At length we discussed the logistics and the "practicality" of such an event. Nevertheless, the night of prayer was scheduled.

To my surprise, the poorest members of the congregation, a group of senior citizens from a housing project, were the ones who responded most enthusiastically to the prayer vigil. I could not help wondering how many of their prayers had gone unanswered over the years - they lived in the projects, after all, amid crime, poverty, and suffering - yet they showed a childlike trust in the power of prayer. "How long do you want to stay - an hour or two?" we asked. "Oh, we'll stay all night," they replied.

One black woman in her nineties, who walks with a cane and can barely see, explained to a staff member why she wanted to spend the night sitting on the hard pews of a church in an unsafe neighborhood. "You see, they's lots of things we can't do in this church. We ain't so educated, and we ain't got as much energy as some of you younger folks. But we can pray. We got time, and we got faith. Some of us don't sleep much anyway. We can pray all night if needs be."

And so they did. Meanwhile, a bunch of yuppies in a downtown church learned anew a lesson of faith from the Gospels: Faith appears where least expected and falters where it should be thriving.

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Copyright (c) 1994 Christianity Today, Inc./CHRISTIANITY TODAY Magazine

Robert Morrison (1782-1834), "Failed" first Protestant missionary to China.

As he sailed into the port of Canton in 1807, 25-year-old Robert Morrison was filled with a driving passion to see the Chinese people come to know Christ. By the time he died in China 27 years later, however, he had baptized only ten Chinese. But if Morrison died discouraged, his pioneering work, which included a six-volume Chinese dictionary and a translation of the Bible, opened the door for other missionaries and thus for the millions of conversions he had only dreamed of.

Morrison was raised in a stern Scotch-Presbyterian home where reading missionary stories in a church magazine whetted his interest in foreign missions. His mother, however, made him promise not to go abroad while she was alive. Only after his mother died, during Morrison's early twenties, did he take up ministerial training in London. After two years of study, he was accepted into the London Missionary Society. While waiting to find a male colleague to go with him to China, he studied language for one year with a Chinese scholar living in England. When no partner was forthcoming, Morrison left for China alone. He was forced to go via the United States, since the East India Company, which owned most of the English ships going to China, refused him passage.

Morrison's lifelong relationship with the East India Company was one of mutual need and mutual distrust. The company guarded its commercial interests in China by strictly refusing to let Westerners such as Morrison evangelize. They feared missionaries would offend their Chinese trade partners. But after Morrison's arrival in China, company officials learned of his language skills and hired him as a translator. They gave Morrison a salary but also attempted to restrict his missions activities. In 1815, for example, the company threatened to deport him when it learned that Morrison had completed, in secret, a translation of the New Testament.

In 1809 Morrison married Mary Morton. After six years and two children, a seriously ill Mary returned to England with their children. It was six years before they returned to Canton to see their father and husband. When Mary died, Morrison sent the children back to England, and three years later traveled there himself for his first and only furlough. When he returned to Canton, he brought with him the children and a new wife, Elizabeth, with whom he had four more children and a happy marriage.

In 1834, two months after pioneer missionary William Carey's death in India, Morrison died. When as a young man Morrison had first sailed to China, he was asked, "Do you really expect to make an impression on the idolatry of the great Chinese empire?" In reply, Morrison spoke more prophetically than he knew: "No, sir, but I expect God will."

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Version in sermon 4/23/06:

Robert Morrison was born in 1782 to a stern Presbyterian family. As a young man he read missionary stories in a church magazine and it whetted his interest in foreign missions. But his mother was appalled and said it would be over her dead body. A few years later she died, and in his early twenties Morrison began his training to be a missionary.

Morrison was accepted into the London Missionary Society. While he waited to find a male colleague to go with him to China, he studied the Chinese language for one year. When no partner was forthcoming, Morrison left for China alone. He was forced to go through the United States, since the East India Company wouldn't let him take a British ship to China.

The East India Company didn't like missionaries because they thought Christians would upset the Chinese. Nothing would be allowed to get in the way of profits. But they found that Morrison was so good with the language they hired him as a translator. Even so, they forbid him to do Christian work. For example, in 1815 the company threatened to fire him when it learned that he had secretly translated the New Testament.

Robert Morrison worked in China for 27 years. His first wife died. He sent his children to England and saw them once after that. By the time he died, he had baptized 10 Chinese. Only 10.

That's not a lot of fruit. To be honest, many would see him as a total failure. But if Morrison died discouraged, his work of translating the Bible and making dictionaries laid a foundation for others. Christians in China now number in the tens of millions.

When as a young man Morrison had first sailed to China, he was asked, “Do you really expect to make an impression on the idolatry of the great Chinese empire?” In reply, Morrison spoke more prophetically than he knew: “No, sir, but I expect God will.”

#4010

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Biblical antidotes to Life's Toxins: Discouragement.

Seven causes of toxic discouragement:

1. Criticism. Neh 4:1-5

2. The half-way syndrome. 4:6

3. Opposition. 4:7-9

4. Loss of strength. 4:10

5. Loss of vision. 4:10

6. Loss of confidence. 4:11

7. Negative thinking. 4:12

Five antidotes to defeat discouragement.

1. He united the people around the same vision. 4:13

2. He directed their attention from their problems to the Lord. 4:14

3. He encouraged them to keep their balance. 4:15-18

4. He gave them a plan for their defense. 4:19-20

5. He involved them in serving others. 4:21-23

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him and every day he scanned the horizon for help but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements and to store his few possessions.

But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. "God, how could you do this to me!" he cried.

Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

It is easy to get discouraged when things are going bad. But we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering. Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground, it just may be a smoke signal that summons grace of God. For all the negative things we have to say to ourselves, God has a positive answer for it:

You say: "It's impossible"

God says: All things are possible (Luke 18:27)

You say: "I'm too tired"

God says: I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30)

You say: "Nobody really loves me"

God says: I love you (John 3:16 & John 13:34)

You say: "I can't go on"

God says: My grace is sufficient (II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)

You say: "I can't figure things out"

God says: I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5-6)

You say: "I can't do it"

God says: You can do all things (Philippians 4:13)

You say: "I'm not able"

God says: I am able (II Corinthians 9:8)

You say: "It's not worth it"

God says: It will be worth it (Roman 8:28)

You say: "I can't forgive myself"

God says: I FORGIVE YOU (I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)

You say: "I can't manage"

God says: I will supply all your needs (Philippians 4:19)

You say: "I'm afraid"

God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear (II Timothy 1:7)

You say: "I'm always worried and frustrated"

God says: Cast all your cares on ME (I Peter 5:7)

You say: "I don't have enough faith"

God says: I've given everyone a measure of faith (Romans 12:3)

You say: "I'm not smart enough"

God says: I give you wisdom (I Corinthians 1:30)

You say: "I feel all alone"

God says: I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)

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As I was driving home from work one day, I stopped to watch a local Little League baseball game that was being played in a park near my home. As I sat down behind the bench on the first-baseline, I asked one of the boys what the score was. "We're behind 14 to nothing," he answered with a smile. "Really," I said. "I have to say you don't look very discouraged." "Discouraged?" the boy asked with a puzzled look on his face. "Why should we be discouraged? We haven't been up to bat yet."

Perhaps the greatest secret of the saints of old was their ability to praise God amid the afflictions of life.

Saint Francis de Sales (1567 - 1622) once wrote to a friend who was undergoing stresses at home, saying, “The many troubles in your household will tend to your edification, if you strive to bear them all in gentleness, patience, and kindness. Keep this ever before you, and remember constantly that God’s loving eyes are upon you amid all these little worries and vexations, watching whether you take them as He would desire. Offer up all such occasions to Him; and if sometimes you are put out and give way to impatience, do not be discouraged, but make haste to regain your lost composure.”

Do you have an area of frustration, fear, fretting, pain, or stress? Don’t be ashamed about it, but glorify God in the midst of it and let Him use it for the edification of your soul.

Special Quote: You had better make up your mind to accept what you cannot alter. You can live a beautiful life in the midst of your present circumstances. - J. R. Miller

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David Jeremiah; source: Turning Point Daily Devotional

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[Original illustration at this number was a duplicate of HolwickID #1933]

Steve Brown related the story of a British soldier in the First World War who lost heart for the battle and deserted. Trying to reach the coast for a boat to England that night, he ended up wandering in the pitch black night, hopelessly lost. In the darkness he came across what he thought was a signpost. It was so dark that he began to climb the post so that he could read it. As he reached the top of the pole, he struck a match to see and found himself looking squarely into the face of Jesus Christ. He realized that, rather than running into a signpost, he had climbed a roadside crucifix. Brown explained, "Then he remembered the One who had died for him -- who had endured -- who had never turned back. The next morning the soldier was back in the trenches."

As a runner, when you are tired, afraid and discouraged, the best way I know to get your second wind is to strike a match in the darkness and to look on the face of Jesus Christ.

[A commentary following the photo-finish 2000 American election.]

As I record this broadcast, it's nearly midnight on Tuesday [Nov. 7, 2000]. I feel a little bit like the people at The Chicago Tribune in 1948, who sent the paper to print with the now infamous headline "Dewey Wins."

You may remember that President Truman held that headline high for one of the most famous photos of the twentieth century. You see, at this very moment, it is unclear who will be the next president. And it could stay unclear for days, since absentee ballots have yet to be counted in many states.

It's an amazing cliff-hanger election. And most of us are going to wake up tomorrow morning very tired from having sat in front of the television late into the night. So I'll make no predictions. But I do have some things that I would like to communicate to the BreakPoint audience.

Whichever way things turn out, some people will be joyous, and some people will be dismayed. But one thing is absolutely clear. It should not alter in the slightest the course that we, as Christians, follow in our society.

One of my friends wrote me recently after a particularly discouraging situation and said, "Chuck, just remember. We have enlisted for the duration in service to the truth." I love that! As a matter of fact, I'm having that plaque made up and put in my office in Washington, alongside the one from Mother Teresa that says, "Faithfulness, not Success."

What we need to remember is, if you're disappointed in the election results when they're finally clear, that's understandable. All of us have our partisan choices. Maybe you'll be jubilant over them. If so, you're going to think, "Well, the culture war's been won." And if you're discouraged over the results, you'll think, "The culture war's been lost."

Nonsense!

Cultures are changed from the bottom up. Fads start from the top down. Movements start from the bottom up. Remember when de Tocqueville came to this country -- the French statesman who wrote so brilliantly about American life and talked about our churches being on fire and about the peculiar characteristics of American life -- he said that Americans really had a sense of civic duty and civic responsibility. Tocqueville said that what moves America are the "habits of the heart."

He was absolutely right! This is the genius of America. We are moved by the tastes and dispositions of the people. We're moved by the way we live with our neighbors around us. People need to see something better, something that they can long for in our lives. That isn't affected by elections. They're not going to look to Washington for that, they're going to look to us.

So we keep living in biblical faithfulness. And remember, too, that God appoints the leaders. And that whatever happens in the election that's now being tallied, we have to accept God's sovereign judgment.

We have to pray for those in authority. We have to respect those whom God has put in power over us, and live peaceably in the midst of whatever government we have. The first century church had to do that; the twenty-first century church ought to be doing exactly the same thing.

Don't be overly jubilant, but don't despair. Take a cool-headed perspective and keep your Christian faith and your Christian witness strong. God bless you.

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Copyright (c) 2000 Prison Fellowship Ministries. Reprinted with permission. "BreakPoint with Chuck Colson" is a radio ministry of Prison Fellowship Ministries.

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During the Boer War (1899-1902), a man was convicted of a very unusual crime. He was found guilty of being a "discourager." The South African town of Ladysmith was under attack, and this traitor would move up and down the lines of soldiers who were defending the city and do everything he could to discourage them. He would point out the enemy's strength, the difficulty of defending against them, and the inevitable capture of the city. He didn't use a gun in his attack. It wasn't necessary. His weapon was the power of discouragement.

Encouragement, on the other hand, can be a powerful friend. It strengthens the weak, imparts courage to the fainthearted, and gives hope to the faltering. One of the greatest ministries we can have is to lift the spirits of fellow believers.

--Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations

It was once announced that the devil was going out of business and would offer all tools for sale to whoever would pay his price. On the night of the sale, they were all attractively displayed and a bad looking lot they were: Malice, Hatred, Envy, Jealousy, Sensuality, and Deceit, and all the other implements of evil, were spread out each marked with its price.

Apart from the rest lay a harmless looking, wedge shaped tool, much worn and priced higher than any of them. Someone asked the devil what it was. “That's discouragement,” was the reply.

“Why do you have it priced so high?”

“Because,” replied the devil, “it is more useful to me than any of the others. I can pry open and get inside a man's consciousness with that when I could not get near him with any of the others, and when once inside I can use him in whatever way suits me best. It is so much worn because I use it with nearly everybody, for very few people yet know it belongs to me.”

-- Rev. E. E. Hendricks

In “Remember All the Way,” William C. Townsend related the story of an evangelist who was facing discouragement and criticism. One day he said to a colleague, “'Don Guillermo, I'm going to quit.’ Guillermo replied, 'Why do you give your resignation to me? When you began your service, you said the Lord Jesus Christ was calling you to tell others about Him. I think you'd better present your resignation to the One who called you. Let's get down on our knees here, and you tell Him that you are going to quit. Let Him hear what you've just told me -- that it's too hard, that too many people criticize you. Tell the Lord -- He's the One who sent you.’ 'Well, I hesitate to do that,' he replied. 'I'm afraid He'll tell me to stay with the job.’ 'If that's what He wants, don't you think you'd better stay?’ 'Yes, I think I should!'" Taking new courage and refusing to look back, the evangelist went on to 'plow a straight furrow for God.’

I read of a minister who felt so depressed and defeated that he was ready to give in to discouragement. One morning as he sat dejectedly by the window, he looked outside and noticed a starling perched on the sill. The bird seemed to look steadily at him and chirp what sounded like "Give it up! Give it up!" in starling language.

The pastor thought about his seeming failure in the work God had given him. Was the starling sending him a message? As the pastor contemplated this question, his wife entered the room. When he told her what had happened, she went to the window to listen. The starling again chirped the phrase that sounded like "Give it up! Give it up!"

The pastor's wife laughed, then turned to her husband and said with a smile, "Why, that starling is saying, 'Keep it up! Keep it up!', not give it up."

On October 18, 1879, a young inventor by the name of Thomas A. Edison sat in his laboratory. He was weary from 13 months of repeated failure in his search for a filament that would stand the stress of electric current. To add to his problems, the men who had backed him financially were now refusing to put up any additional funds. Having tried every known metal in his experiment, Edison was admittedly baffled. Casually picking up a bit of lampblack, he mixed it with tar and rolled it into a thin thread. Suddenly the thought struck him, why not try a carbonized cotton fiber? For five hours he worked on the first filament, but it broke before he could remove the mold.

Two entire spools of thread were used in similar fruitless efforts. At last a perfect strand emerged, only to be ruined when he tried to place it inside a glass tube. Still Edison refused to admit defeat. He continued to work without sleep for two more days and nights. Eventually he managed to insert one of the crude carbonized threads into a vacuum-sealed bulb. "When we turned on the current," he said, "the sight we had so long desired to see finally met our eyes!" His persistence in the face of the most discouraging odds gave the world one of its greatest inventions -- the electric light!

Yesterday I passed out. I don't like to use the word "faint" to describe what happened, it sounds unmasculine, like something girls do. Passed out has a more manly ring to it - but whatever you choose to call it - it happened to me.

I used to consider myself pretty strong when it came to hospital stuff, but yesterday was not a good day for me. Yesterday, my son, Michael, had to have yet another test - a spinal tap. Now I have no problem with more tests, but there is something about the word "spinal" and "tap" in the same sentence that does not sound good.

The four of us were in the little room: Michael, the nurse, the anesthesiologist and me. I was doing good: comforting Mike, joking with the doctor ... But the sight of the long silver tube being inserted into my son's spine and the cry of my son in pain as the tube struck a nerve, put me a bit on edge. When I say the clear spinal fluid dripping from the tube sticking out of his spine I knew I was a goner. Since I have fainted one other time, I knew what was happening. To prevent myself from going down face first (like Benny a few weeks ago in the Sunday morning service) I went down on one knee. Trying to look nonchalant and not wanting to distract the attention from the procedure I scooted back against the wall and sat down until the room stopped spinning; I stopped sweating and my pride stopped hurting. Fainting is not a fun thing; it is not a manly thing, it is not a controllable thing, but it is a natural thing.

Maybe you have never fainted physically, but chances are you have fainted spiritually. The Bible uses the word "faint" to describe what happens when we become weary, lose heart or give up. God knows that we are susceptible to spiritually fainting when the sights and sounds of life seem to be more than we think we can bear. As Christians we faint spiritually when our troubles are great and our strength is small. Proverbs 24:10 says, "If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small." In the Bible God gives us five charges to keep us going when we feel like fainting.

1. PURSUE HIM EVEN WHEN YOU FEEL DESERTED. There are times for all of us when God "seems" distant from what we are going through - where we feel deserted in a time of crisis. We must never allow how we feel to keep us from pursuing God. He is not only "good, (and) a strong hold in the day of trouble" but he "knoweth them that trust in Him" (Nahum 1:7). Luke 1:8 says, "And Jesus spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint." The parable Jesus gave was of the widow who wearied the unjust judge into action by continually coming to him until he responded. Jesus' point was that if the unjust judge responded to the continual pursuit of the woman, how much more our Just God will respond to the cries of his children. Remember that God does hear even if you feel He doesn't. Always pray - pursuing God keeps you going.

2. WAIT ON HIM EVEN WHEN YOU FEEL DEPLETED. Waiting on God is essential for the strength needed for life's demands. In Isaiah 40 we are promised tremendous grace when we wait on God. "He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint" (Isaiah 40:29-31). Waiting on God is work, but waiting on God keeps you going.

3. REMEMBER HIM EVEN WHEN YOU ARE DISCIPLINED. Hebrews 12:5 says, "And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou are rebuked of him." When God showers us with the attention of discipline it is a reminder that we are intimately loved by Him. God does what He does for your good and Him glory. Remembering God keeps you going.

4. FOCUS ON HIM EVEN WHEN YOU FEEL DISTRACTED. It is so easy to get sidetracked in the race of life. Hebrews 12:1-3 reminds us to "lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith ... lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." It is often the distractions that cause us to faint in life. Focussing on God keeps us going.

5. SERVE HIM EVEN WHEN YOU ARE DISCOURAGED. It is easy to throw in the towel when we don't see results. Have you ever wondered what noise came from the piano the first time that Beethoven sat down to play? Paul reminds us, "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not" (Galatians 6:9). The encouragement is clear: We will reap! Maybe this is your season. "Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not" (2 Corinthians 4:1).

Fainting yesterday was a good reminder to me from the Lord that no matter how I feel I need to keep going spiritually. That is true for all of us - we all need to pursue God, wait on Him, remember Him, focus on Him and serve Him. As we do these things, He will keep us going.

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How do you find strength in God when your world is in ruins?

The scene is familiar: You see it with heartbreaking regularity on TV. A strong, rugged man stands beside a pile of burnt-out rubble that was once his home. He is in tears. He does not know where his family is or even if they are still alive. He has nowhere to turn for food or help. We find him pitiful and pathetic, but we are glad we are not in his shoes.

Where is this scene? Beirut? Baghdad? Dubrovnik? No, we are in Ziklag, a little Philistine town some forty miles southwest of Jerusalem. It is just over three thousand years ago, about 1015 B.C. The man is David, who later will be Israel’s king. But at this point he is in his late twenties - a refugee, an outlaw, and a failed leader who seems doomed.

What has happened? The story is this. (See 1 Samuel 30:1-6) David, fleeing for his life from King Saul, had offered his services and those of his six hundred men to King Achish, a local Philistine potentate, as a kind of Foreign Legion. Achish had given them Ziklag for their home, and they had all brought their families and settled there. They had marched with the rest of Achish’s troops to a pan-Philistine muster against Israel. But Achish’s colleagues had refused to trust David and his men in a battle against their own people and had sent them packing.

Already depressed (for no army can be told it is not trusted without damage to its morale), they had trekked back to Ziklag and found it a smoking ruin. Desert raiders, Amalekites, had sacked it, burned it, and taken captive as slaves everyone they had found there. Six hundred homes and families were simply gone; hence, the tears of fury and pain. "David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep" (1 Samuel 30:4).

When people are smarting under an unexpected hurt, they want to relieve their feelings by finding a scapegoat, someone to blame. It was so here. David’s men got ugly and turned on their leader. They blamed him, one supposes, for being so preoccupied with pleasing Achish that he had marched every single able-bodied man to the muster, thus failing both them and their families by not leaving a guard to fend off raiders. Think of living in the old Wild West where Indians and bandits roamed; men went armed; and women and children never traveled save in the company of someone with a gun. It was that sort of world, and David’s error of judgment had been real. So we move to the point where "David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters" (1 Samuel 30:6).

DESPAIR AMONG THE RUINS

We can see what was going through David’s mind as he stood, alone and tearful, by the ruins of his house. His great distress was compounded by several things.

There was personal loss: His own home and his own two wives were gone. But that was only the start of it.

There was, for sure, the recognition that through lack of forethought he had failed his men and their dependents. Nothing is more distressing to a good man or a real leader (David was both) than knowing you have let down those who trusted you.

There was his total isolation. Now not only Saul and the Philistines but his own men, too, had turned against him. Universal hostility, leaving you with no one to whom you can even talk on equal terms, is hard to bear.

There was the apparent hopelessness of the situation. The Amalekites had come on camels, and David and his men were on foot. They were already exhausted from their three-day, forty-mile march. What hope was there of catching the raiders, even if David could be sure where they had gone?

Also, there was, quite certainly, a crushing sense of God’s judgment. For David had played a double game with Achish. To curry favor with his Philistine patron, he had plundered villages, massacred their inhabitants, given Achish the booty, and told him the raids had been made in Israelite territory. In fact, the raids had been against people who had nothing to do with Israel, including - yes! - Amalekites (1 Samuel 27:8). While the deception prospered, David had doubtless assured himself that he was being super-smart and that killing Amalekites was the Lord’s business anyway (see Deut. 26:17-19). But deep down, he knew that this callous, Machiavellian banditry-for banditry is what it was-merited God’s vengeance. And when he saw what the Amalekites had done to Ziklag, his conscience told him that this poetic justice was in fact the vengeance he had provoked.

David, then, was in a state of distress of a kind that might well have destroyed him. The shock of disaster, grief at one’s loss, collapse of one’s life-strategy, and a sense of undergoing just retribution can each of them have paralyzing effects, and here they were all together. "Heartache crushes the spirit" (Proverbs 15:13); "a crushed spirit who can bear?" (Proverbs 18:14).

Misery is the natural consequence of calamity, and apathy is the natural child of misery. David’s surrender to grief was an entirely natural reaction to what had happened. In his shoes, we would have done the same, and many can testify that in similar circumstances they did exactly that.

Had David stopped there, however, it would have been the end of his career as a leader and probably of his life. But he did not stop there. Challenging and finally overcoming the paralysis that grief was generating, we now see in David the spiritual reaction of faith. "But" - it is one of the great Bible "buts" - "David found strength (RSV, "strengthened himself") in the LORD his God" (1 Samuel 30:6).

How did he do it?

THE SECRET OF STRENGTH

"He prayed," suggests someone. Yes, in due course, he did. But that, I am sure, was not what came first. When feelings of despair overwhelm you, rational prayer is beyond you. You are like a person being swept downstream towards the falls; you must recover your footing on the stream bed or you are lost. The secret of recovering your footing spiritually at such a time lies in the little word think, and that was undoubtedly where David began. He thought. He did not wait to feel better, but argued with the emotions that were telling him all was lost. He made himself recall what he knew of God and thought out how it all applied to him at that moment. Thus he "found strength" in the Lord; thus he calmed his soul; thus he prepared himself to pray.

"Strengthened by thought" is the formula that fits. The medievals would have called David’s action meditating, and the Puritans would have described it as preaching to oneself. Less important than deciding what to call it is learning to do it. It is a discipline we all need to master.

Every time we pray, it is wise first to remind ourselves, deliberately, of who and what God is and how we stand related to Him through His covenant love. Never is this more necessary than when we are reeling under the impact of some shock or being deafened by the inward screams of desire or panic or pain. David acted on this wisdom. Setting himself to think, he made his rational faith reassert itself over his runaway feelings. He let his faith tell him what to think, and when he knew what to think, he could see what to do. He was a model of godly wisdom.

FIVE STEPS TO RECOVERY

I now offer a reconstruction of the series of thoughts that he forced into his disoriented, despairing heart as he stood in lonely isolation in ruined Ziklag, surrounded by men who, he knew, had mutiny and murder in mind. It is, of course, guesswork, but it is not wild guesswork. The psalms show us the logic of David’s faith clearly enough to warrant every suggestion I shall make.

I believe that David ran before his mind five thoughts, as follows:

1. MY GOD REIGNS. He thought of God’s sovereign power. He reminded himself that God is in total control of all that happens on earth, and that having brought him into this extremity, God was certainly able to bring him out of it. Remembering God’s omnipotence was the first step in recovering his footing.

The psalms are strong on God’s sovereignty and dominion. "The LORD does whatever pleases Him" (Psalm 135:6; cf. Psalm 115:3). "The seas [emblem of chaos] have lifted up, O LORD ... their voice ... their pounding waves. Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea-the LORD on high is mighty" (Psalm 93:3-4). Or, more simply, "The LORD reigns" (Psalm 93:1; Psalm 96:10; Psalm 97:1; Psalm 99:1; Psalm 146:10). All Scripture agrees that a God who is only in control of things half the time is a figment of a disordered imagination. The beginning of stability for us all is to know that God is on the throne, that His eye is on us and His hand over us all the time. Nothing comes our way apart from His will. In the deepest sense everything is under control.

2. MY GOD FORGIVES. David thought of God’s pardoning mercy. He recalled that "with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared." In other words, right-minded reverence is rooted in a knowledge of God’s mercy in the remitting of one’s sins (Psalm 130:4). My guess is that David’s first breath of prayer was a plea for forgiveness for the callous killings involved in his bamboozling of Achish. Certainly, he dwelt on the truth that it is God’s glory to forgive the penitent and that no sin is too great to be forgiven. He knew that no chastened transgressor need ever forfeit his hope of restoration and a future with God. And as David thought along these lines, his footing grew firmer.

All Scripture confirms what David knew. "The blood of Jesus ... purifies us from all sin.... If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just [in keeping His word both to us who sinned and to the Son who died to save us] and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.... He [Jesus] is the atoning sacrifice for our sins" (1 John 1:7; 1 John 1:9; 1 John 2:2). For any who feel themselves under God’s judgment, there is forgiveness just as soon as they confess and forsake the acts that provoked the judgment.

3. MY GOD CARES. David thought, too, of God’s covenanted protection. "The LORD is my shepherd" (Psalm 23:1). Himself a shepherd, David knew that the shepherd’s job is precisely to look after the sheep, keeping them well-fed and safe at all times. So he must not suppose that men’s alienation from Him meant that God had abandoned him. Even in ruined Ziklag, God was with him to love and bless him. As David dwelt on this, his despair (I am sure) dissolved like melting snow.

All Scripture confirms what the Shepherd Psalm proclaims, namely the covenant care of God for His servants. "In all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). God’s shaping of all that happens to believers so as to promote their "good"-that is, their holiness and joy-is a fact, even when it does not look or feel so. "Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life" (Psalm 23:6). God’s commitment to me, to be my God who shepherds me home, guarantees that.

4. MY GOD IS CONSISTENT. Having proved His love to me in the past, He will do so again. David thought of his previous experiences of God’s goodness and reasoned that, as John Newton puts it in his sublimely straightforward way,

His love in time past

Forbids me to think

He’ll leave me at last

In trouble to sink;

Each sweet Ebenezer

I have in review

Confirms his good pleasure

To help me right through.

David had reasoned this way before Saul - "the LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine" (1 Samuel 17:37). So now he told himself that his God, who saved him from the lion, the bear, Goliath, and Saul’s spear (1 Samuel 19:9-10) would surely act again on his behalf in his present nightmare situation. For God does not lose interest in those He has once begun to love and bless.

Ebenezer was the name of a stone memorializing God’s past help (1 Samuel 7:12). Every Christian should live by the Ebenezer principle-storing up memories of past mercies and bringing them to mind whenever reassurance about God’s love is needed, as does the exile of Psalm 42:4-6 and the invalid of Psalm 77:4-12. In this way, David found strength to face the pressures of the present, and so may we.

5. MY GOD IS FAITHFUL. He keeps His word. David thought of God’s explicit promises, such as (perhaps) Psalm 91:14-15:

"Because he loves me" says the LORD, "I will rescue him;

I will protect him, for he acknowledges My name.

He will call upon Me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble,

I will deliver him and honor him."

David found strength in trusting the fidelity of his promise-keeping God.

Mapping the Christian life in Pilgrim’s Progress, Bunyan pictures despair as a giant imprisoning believers in Doubting Castle; but the Christian gets out of despair by using "a key called Promise." Exactly! Knowing that God’s promises to us in Scripture are certain of fulfillment frees us from doubt and gives us strength to face the future.

GOD MY STRENGTH

The strength (power) of God (Psalm 24:8; Psalm 31:2; Psalm 62:11) is what theologians call a communicable attribute - that is, a quality of God that in exercise imparts its own analogue or image to man. Thus, God’s wisdom makes us wise; God’s strength makes us strong. "The LORD gives strength to His servants" (Psalm 29:11; cf. 84:5). The strength given is a capacity "to do and to endure," as the hymn puts it; a capacity that without God’s empowering we would not have. As Giver of this strength, God is called "my" or "our" strength (Psalm 28:7; Psalm 46:1; Psalm 59:17; Psalm 73:26; Psalm 118:14; cf. Isaiah 12:2).

We have been watching God give David strength at Ziklag by stirring him to the resolute thought through which he "found strength." It was gratitude for such experiences that David was expressing when he declared, "I love you, O LORD, my strength" (Psalm 18:1). And one way in which we in [the current year] learn to love God is through being strengthened at crisis times in this same manner.

Just for the record, after David had "found strength," he got guidance that enabled him, against all expectations, to restore the situation completely (see the rest of 1 Samuel 30). God does not always resolve our crises this way, but He always gives strength to cope to those who will learn to think as David thought. And that, for us, is what really matters.

When my friend Larry isn’t running his business, he can often be found riding his bicycle. We’re talking serious biking here, not just the leisurely around-the-block stuff. He and his friends have covered a lot of America on the their bicycles, conquering all kinds of challenges. Like big hills, for example. Now, any of us who has ever ridden a bike knows that it’s the hills that bite your leg muscles. As you’re riding, you see this mountain looming in front of you. OK, it’s a hill, but your mind is thinking "mountain." My friend told me a fundamental "big hill" principle that he has discovered - and that he passes on to other bikers. "The longer you look, the bigger it gets!"

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Inflated Obstacles."

You may be facing one of life’s big hills right now - financially, medically, in your family, or your ministry, your work. And right now you’ve stopped pedaling, you’re looking at how big that hill is - and the longer you look, the bigger it’s getting. And the weaker and more paralyzed you’re feeling.

That must have been how God’s ancient people felt when they looked at the challenges of the land God had promised them - walled cities, barbarian armies, intimidating giants, and a big piece of occupied ground. God knows how we feel when we’re staring at those big hills. In our word for today from the Word of God - Deuteronomy 7, beginning in verse 17, God says: "You may say to yourselves, ‘These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?' Do not be terrified by them, for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a great and awesome God. The Lord your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little.’"

OK, first, you have to remember Who’s going to conquer that hill - it’s not going to be you - so your limitations are not an issue here. It’s going to "the Lord your God." I love that phrase. "The Lord" - that’s the One who created and controls over a hundred billion galaxies! Then, "your God." Yes! The Lord who rules the galaxies is my God. He is so big - and He’s so close!

Secondly - as you’re staring at that hill you’ve got in front of you, remember how God is going to help you conquer this challenge - "little by little." He’s not going to do it all at once. He’s asking you to take it in bite-size chunks. Now, my bicycling friend says that rather than looking at the top of the hill, he looks at the short distances in front of him. That’s how you conquer your hill. Jesus asks us to take up our cross, not all at once, but "daily." (Luke 9:23) Your job is just to do today - faithfully and positively.

The size of life’s hills often keeps us from facing what we need to be dealing with - issues in our family, our marriage, our spending, the care of your body, that habit, or even something Jesus has been asking you to do for Him. And the longer you look at the hill, the bigger it gets. But the longer you look at the God you belong to, the bigger He gets. You’ve been looking at the wrong thing - fixated on the problem or the challenge, or the people, and missing the awesome size of your God!

Let today be Day One of you tackling that hill. Just look at the short distance immediately in front of you - this one day. And open yourself up to the strength of God that we only experience when we know we can’t do it. Look at the size of your Lord, not the size of your hill! Today’s looming challenge is going to be tomorrow’s amazing conquest!

________________

Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. "Practical Answers to Real Life Issues"

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Discouraged Servants

Read: Mark 14:1-9

She has done what she could. --Mark 14:8

In today's performance-driven world, Christians are often more critical of their own acts of service than God is. Many seek to honor Him in word and deed yet feel that nothing they do is ever good enough to please Him. Such distraught servants will be encouraged by today's Bible reading in Mark 14.

From what we learn in John 12, we know that the woman in Mark 14 was Mary, the one who regarded listening at Jesus' feet as more important than preparing an impressive meal (Lk. 10:38-42). F. B. Meyer wrote this about her: "Probably, of all His followers, Mary alone had understood His references to His death, and as she could not be present to perform the last offices of love, she rendered them in advance."

Her extravagant anointing of Jesus' head with costly oil was called a waste by her loveless critics. But Jesus quickly vindicated her by acknowledging that she had done a good work for Him simply by doing what she could.

Are you frustrated because of what you can't do, and critical of what you can? Are the murmurings of others drowning out God's "well done"? Rest for a while at Jesus' feet and gain Mary's understanding. Then rise up and do what you can, knowing that He will be pleased. --JEY

Don't be discouraged, child of God,

By what you cannot do;

Just give the Lord your very best--

It's all He asks of you. --Sper

When you give your all, your little is a lot.

"It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation."

-- Herman Melville (1819 - 1891), writer, Bits & Pieces

"Creativity is so delicate a flower that praise tends to make it bloom, while discouragement often nips it in the bud. Any of us will put out more and better ideas if our efforts are appreciated."

-- Alexander F. Osborn (1888 - 1966), advertising executive, (B&P)

"I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."

-- Albert Einstein (1879-1955), physicist, Bits & Pieces 9/27/02

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Have you ever felt that something was vaguely wrong? Maybe that you weren't at the top of your game? I am not talking about a full-blown depression, but something more common. It's that little nagging voice in your head telling you that something is not quite right. Elton John may sing his catchy tune "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues," but I am talking about a full-blown case of THE BLAHS here. You know what I mean?

In my own life and in working with clients, I find that most people have BLAH days and even BLAH weeks. They aren't sick but neither are they well. They are just...well...BLAH. They come to our coaching calls wondering how to get themselves back on the success track again. My role is to serve as a sounding board and then offer practical suggestions for making that happen.

Maxwell Maltz identifies 7 warning signals to pay attention to in order to avoid a full-blown failure. The warning signals do not indicate that you HAVE failed, but that you may be headed in that direction if you do not change the course of your behavior. The signals serve as your "BLAHmeter." (I like this new word I made up!)

Mr. Maltz says, "A detour sign on the highway doesn't mean that you are a bad driver. It is a signal to change direction -- an indication that you are likely to have an accident if you continue on your present course." And so it is with the signals that warn you are off course. Use these as guideposts and you will most likely remain on your success path. If you ignore them, be prepared for a possible accident.

The 7 warning signals are:

1. FRUSTRATION. This is your very first clue! Frustration includes feelings of urgency, saying 'yes' to things you want to say 'no' to, feeling that you do not make a difference, or feelings of inadequacy. All these contribute to the BLAH feeling and are warning signs of greater trouble ahead. Often feelings of frustration are about someone else's behavior and how it is affecting us. Begin to look at YOUR role in your frustration and take back your personal power. Plan your time wisely and don't get caught in the urgency game. Say NO. You can! Find a way to make a difference and then do it instead of just talking about it.

2. AGGRESSION. Aggression is what follows frustration. OK, so you missed the first signals and now you are becoming angry. The secret for avoiding failure here is to turn that aggressive feeling into assertiveness. Both of these are strategies for getting what you want; however the assertive personality uses a win-win strategy of team building instead of tearing others down. The next time you feel aggressive about a situation, ask yourself how you can turn the conversation into a win-win, take a deep breath and then do it!

3. INSECURITY. This is another result of not recognizing the vague feeling of inadequacy that comes from frustration. This can definitely fuel the BLAHS! There can be some deep-rooted reasons for insecurity, but there are also some simple strategies to overcoming it. Begin to set small goals and then attain them. Each one builds on the other and increases self-esteem. One step at a time can evolve into big wins!

4. LONELINESS. Being cut off from others is a sign that you are cut off from yourself as well. Loneliness is the wall that keeps fear locked in and people locked out. It is self-protection. I am not talking about spending healthy time alone. That is productive time. I am all for that! Here I am talking about isolation that keeps one from connecting with others. Talk about the BLAHS! The way to break this cycle is to force yourself to do new things and interact with others. Cheryl Richardson, author of Take Time for Your Life, likes to call this, "building a soulful community." Hey -- if you build it, they will come. :)

5. UNCERTAINTY. I like to call this the "frustrated perfectionist syndrome." Do you procrastinate over getting things done? Have you ever considered that it might be because you want it done just "right?" Do you fear failure? These are all signs of uncertainty and they keep you stuck. Stuck = the BLAHS. Pay attention to this warning signal and break your patterns. You don't have to be the best each time. A road paved with obstacles is generally much more interesting, you learn a lot more, and your 'wins' feel even bigger. Take a chance on that road less traveled!

6. RESENTMENT. This is the greatest robber of personal happiness, according to Psycho-Cybernetics' Maxwell Maltz. This is also known as "victim mentality" in which one blames everyone else for his/her problems. It's that feeling of injustice. It's not taking responsibility for your own feelings and behaviors. How dis-empowering! Big- time BLAHS! Take note of this warning signal before it becomes a huge problem. Learn to forgive others and forgive yourself. It's often been said that forgiveness is more about 'us' moving on than it is about the person who may have wronged us.

I use the following technique with clients: -- COULD you let the feeling of resentment over ________ go? -- WOULD you let it go? If so, WHEN? If not, WHEN? To be healthy one has to let go, so go ahead and make the decision that you will -- sooner is much better than later or too late. In the 12 Step programs, they refer to this as "letting go and letting God." Can you?

7. EMPTINESS. This is the feeling of loneliness that we mentioned earlier, but magnified. This is generally a result of living out someone else's dreams for your life and not your own. Your creativity is stifled and you are not fulfilled. You may go through the motions but they seem meaningless. Have you ever known people who could buy whatever they wanted but they are empty inside? They are BLAH.

A seasoned pastor encouraged seminary students to maintain their joy in the ministry even in difficult times by exercising the power of choice. Paul chose joy DESPITE HIS CHAINS, critics, and crisis, said John Powers, pastor of First Baptist Norfolk, Virginia.

Preaching from Philippians 1:12-30, he said that Paul chose to look at his chains as an instrument clearing a way for advancing the gospel, starting with the praetorian guards who took turns watching his every move.

"With each new guard came an opportunity for the apostle Paul to share his faith," said Powers, adding that they heard him pray, preach, and dictate letters for two years.

"He had joy in spite of his chains," said Powers. "And because of that, his joy created a confidence in others to speak the word of God with boldness."

Paul also chose joy DESPITE HIS CRITICS, Powers said.

Some Christians in Rome had selfish desires and agendas, which included undermining Paul's ministry and creating problems for him, he noted.

"You cannot hurt a computer's feelings, and you cannot grieve a theological concept, but you can destroy a man." he said. "Paul was destructible, but he was not destroyed ... because he chose joy."

The Southwestern graduate advised current students to avoid pettiness because most of the things that create problems in the ministry are not worth the trouble.

"A lot of joy could occur in ministry if we would learn to leave [alone] a few differences between people," he said.

Paul also chose joy DESPITE BEING IN A CRISIS.

Choosing joy will create a positive attitude, said Powers, joking that an optimist goes fishing with a camera and a frying pan.

However, he warned about Satan, who wants to steal joy from God's servants in four ways -- problems, people, possessions, and pressures.

"Problems and ministry are synonymous," he said, emphasizing that understanding the difference between happiness and joy is paramount.

Joy is different from happiness because the latter depends on "happenings," said Powers. "People have a way of stealing your joy, if you let them. There is one constant in ministry: people are going to be people."

Powers warned against depending on people for joy.

"Also, possessions will steal our joy," he said, "when you focus on stuff, things, [and] what somebody else has you may not have."

Pressure is great from the outside because of lost people "hurling" toward hell, he said, adding that expectations from inside the church and personal struggles within have the potential to "siphon" joy from ministers.

Then Powers warned seminary students and faculty about the seven siphons of spiritual joy. JOY IS LOST WHEN:

-- Christian servants have words without actions;

-- Christian servants become busy without purpose;

-- relationships fail to provide mutual nourishment;

-- Christian servants serve without a Sabbath;

-- spiritual gifts are used without God's power;

-- Christian servants possess great theology without adequate spirituality;

-- Christian servants exercise faith without self-examination and

accountability.

Paul refused to allow joy from his heart to be siphoned, and he chose joy in the midst of the crisis he faced, said Powers.

"This discomfort that he was experiencing could not compare with the ultimate experience that Christ was being exulted in his body," he said, concluding that for Paul, "...to live is Christ and to die is gain."

We had a violent thunderstorm the other night - and about 18 hours without electricity. Fortunately, my wife is never without candles, so we had a nice candlelit night at home. I read the newspaper by flashlight. We easily survived without our television. We even played a board game by candlelight! But there sure was no electric power in the house. Not after that huge lightning bolt found its target in our yard - the transformer that sits on a telephone pole not far from our house. My wife saw it, and apparently it was a pretty impressive hit. But there's no way you're going to have power when the transformer's down - I mean, it's what brings all that power in those wires down to where we can use it to run our house.

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about "When Your Transformer's Out."

It could be that the power's been out where you live - in your life, I mean. You're facing some issues that just can't seem to be resolved ... some problems that seem to defy solution ... some mountains that just aren't moving ... some questions that just aren't getting answered ... maybe an overload that is overwhelming you. Could be in your family ... maybe at church or at work ... maybe in your personal life - there just doesn't seem to be anything powerful enough to meet the need, to handle those demands. Maybe the transformer's down.

For those of us who belong to Jesus Christ, there is something called prayer that brings all the power of God Himself down to where we can use it to change our everyday lives. Prayer is your spiritual transformer. And it's possible that it's gotten lost in the storm you've been going through.

There's a vivid picture of both powerlessness and power in our word for today from the Word of God. In Mark 5, beginning in verse 24, the Bible says, "A large crowd followed and pressed around [Jesus]. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better, she grew worse."

This woman has tried all the earth-solutions she can think of - but the need was much too great for anyone on earth to meet. She had thrown money at the problem - nothing happened. She went to all the human experts - nothing happened. But, the Bible continues, "when she heard about Jesus, she came up behind Him in the crowd and touched the cloak, because she thought, 'If I just touch His clothes, I will be healed.' Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering."

Only one thing brought a solution - desperately lunging for Jesus, believing that His authority and power were greater than her massive need. That's going to be the only place you find a solution, too. By getting back to the one weapon that can prevail in your battle - coming in desperate faith to your all-powerful Lord, waging war with prayer. Maybe you've been scurrying around, trying everything to find a solution - except fervent, frequent, faith-filled praying. You don't need a planning meeting - you need a prayer meeting. You don't need a program - you need to pray. You don't need a fund-raising strategy or a new methodology or a human expert - although God might use that - you need to pray as you've never prayed before, believing God for something so big, only He could do it!

You've been so overwhelmed with your situation that you've neglected the only power source that can possibly change things - releasing the power of Almighty God through intense and intensive prayer. The storm isn't the reason you don't have the power you need. It's the transformer of prayer that brings God's power to where you live. Get your "transformer" back on line - and you'll have all the power you need!

________________

Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. "Practical Answers to Real Life Issues"

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Where we used to live, we had so many leaves to rake and bag - and so few free days to work on it - that one massive Saturday effort was what we depended on. And, of course, dark always came too soon. We'd race to get it all done before the sun went down, but sometimes, well, we lost the race. Every farmer who's ever harvested a crop knows the feeling of racing the dark, but there's no way to postpone the sunset. In fact, today's almanac will tell you exactly when it's going down. And the later it gets in the year, well, of course, the sooner you're out of light. When you really need the sun to get things done, sunset always seems to come too soon. But if you check that almanac, you will notice there's another time given next to the time for sunset - it's the time for sunrise. Now here's a scientific fact that will amaze and astound you. Have your pencil ready to write this down. The number of sunrises in history is exactly equal to the number of sunsets! Hmm.

Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Never a Sunset Without a Sunrise.”

And that is a fact. The sun never sets without it rising again. That's not just meteorology. It's theology. It's a spiritual fact of life, and an emotional fact, that it's real easy to forget when it's been dark for a while. But the sunrise principle is the basis for hope when things around you seem hopeless. Key word: “seem.”

In fact, God has a hope-filled promise for us today in our word for today from the Word of God in Jeremiah 31:3-4. He says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. I will build you again and you will be rebuilt ... again you will take up your tambourines and go out and dance with the joyful.” God's people had been plundered, relocated, wounded, with most of what they cared about destroyed. They hadn't seen the sun for a long time. But God says, “It's not over, kids. The sun's going to come up again, no matter how dark it looks. Yes, things are in ruins - but I am going to build you again - and when I get to restoring what you've lost, you will be rebuilt!”

That may well be what He's trying to say to you right now. Yes, the sun went down, and it's been a long night. But it's not a permanent night - there's no such thing! There's no such thing as a sunset without a sunrise. And God promises one! He's the great Restorer, who promises in Joel 2:25: “I will restore to you the years that the locusts have eaten” (KJV). Yes, that relationship has ended. Yes, you are financially broke. Yes, there has been a major setback or failure or loss. But it isn't the whole book, my friend - this is a chapter in the book. And the author has much more to write.

My friend, Audrey, has pretty much defined her past year by unresolved grief over the death of her closest friend. But last week we walked through Isaiah 61, which promises the Lord will “bind up the brokenhearted, and proclaim ... release from darkness for the prisoners ... He bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” And with a cleansing flood of tears, she let it all go and traded her despair for praise, her ashes for beauty, and the sun has come up again.

It won't always be like this - unless you decide to make it always be like this. My prayer for you is Paul's prayer for his friend in Romans 15:13 - “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” He's going to rebuild you, and you will be rebuilt! You will dance again! There's no denying that your sun went down and it got dark. But, remember, there's never a sunset without a sunrise!

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Copyright © Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc., PO Box 400, Harrison, AR 72602. Used by permission. Written by Ron Hutchcraft. "Practical Answers to Real Life Issues"

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“For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.” (Psalm 40:1-3, NIV)

We are on a journey! Together we are discovering the truths we must learn in order to win the battle with depression.

Truth one: We must understand what depression is.

Truth two: We must know who can struggle with depression.

Truth three: We must recognize the factors that can lead to depression:

1. A lack of replenishing relationships

2. A poor self-image

A THIRD FACTOR that can lead to depression is past experiences and how we deal with them. The “mire” mentioned in Psalm 40:2 literally means “sediment at the bottom.”

When my children were small, we would pack a picnic lunch and head for the nearest beach! Their favorite game was to see who could hold a beach ball under the water for the longest time. They would wade out into the ocean, push the ball under the water and begin to count. Soon their arms would tire, or the beach ball would escape their control, popping to the surface.

This is exactly what happens to the “mire” in our lives. The “sediment” or “junk” that we have never dealt with settles at the bottom of our souls, occasionally popping up until we finally run out of energy to keep it submerged. It then works its way to the surface spilling its ugliness and darkness over every part of our existence. “Mire” comes in all shapes and sizes!

• Buried pain

• Unresolved anger

• Hidden sin

• A great loss

My father died when I was four years old, forcing my mother to sell the farm they had spent years building and move to the small nearby town of Brownwood, Texas. There, Mom worked as a waitress at night while attending nursing school during the day. Even after becoming a nurse, she cleaned houses in order to support my brother, sister, grandmother and myself.

When I was five years old, Mom began a twenty-year battle with cancer that was filled with “mire.” I had never really dealt with the loss of my mother or faced some very painful parts of my past. I began to look back over my life realizing that I had painted a picture in my heart and mind of how I wanted my childhood to be - not how it really was.

In the following weeks and months, the Lord and I sifted through the enormous pile of “mire” that had settled into my spirit and life. Together we faced experiences that I had carefully locked away until they slammed into my heart and mind with a breathtaking force and fresh pain; an alcoholic father, a trusted family doctor who molested me, times of loneliness and rejection, haunting failures, unreasonable fears that were never spoken. It seemed as if the flood of memories would never end!

But God is good. He gives us a defense mechanism for those experiences that are beyond our ability to face. He gently tucks them away until He can mercifully bring us to the place where we are able to deal with them.

When we bury pain alive, it keeps popping up at unexpected moments. It must be dealt with and then buried ... dead! We must confront our past, straining every experience through the truth that “all” things work together for our good until we grasp the seed of victory that each pain holds.

When my daughter was in kindergarten she had a very creative science teacher! One day I picked Danna up from school and could tell that she was very excited about something. She had just come from science class and had her very first experiment to do all by herself. She hopped in the car and chattered happily all the way home about seeds that her teacher had given her to plant. A detailed plan unfolded as Danna explained what it would take to make the seeds grow.

Then I saw them. She proudly opened her little hand to reveal a wadded up paper towel filled with broken and mismatched seeds, announcing that they would be so beautiful when they bloomed. I took one look at the seeds and knew that they could not possibly produce anything remotely close to a plant.

“Danna,” I said, “if they don’t grow we will go to the store and buy brand new seeds.” With a look of total disgust she proclaimed, “Mama, they will grow because I prayed for them to grow.” At this point I am asking God if He is aware that His reputation is on the line with my daughter. He did not seem concerned.

When we got home, Danna jumped out of the car and headed to the front yard with a paper cup. She scooped up dirt from the one flowerbed that I had, in total desperation, filled with rocks because it refused to grow anything. Everything I had ever planted there died within a matter of days. Danna then marched into the house, explaining that the seeds needed water to grow. Turning the kitchen faucet on full blast she stuck the paper cup under the rushing stream, watching the dirt and seeds spill into the sink.

Pleased with her progress, she sauntered outside to the screened in porch and placed the cup on the patio table so that it could get sunshine. When I mentioned that there is no sunlight on the porch and suggested that she move her seeds to a spot with better light, she seemed totally unconcerned and cast a look of pity on her faithless and obviously misinformed Mother. I gave up! “God, you are on your own!” I thought.

Several days passed and I forgot about the seeds until one afternoon while preparing dinner I glanced out the kitchen window. There, in the middle of my doubts, sat a soggy, crumpled paper cup filled with green sprouts! I ran to Danna’s room shouting, “Danna, your seeds grew! Your seeds really grew!” She looked up at me with the beautiful eyes of childlike faith and calmly said, “I knew they would.”

Listen my friend, never be surprised at what God can do with just one tiny, broken seed. The will of God admits no defeat! The will of God penalizes no one! We can allow our past to defeat us or we can choose to harness that past and use it for power in our lives today!

Those painful experiences that we try so hard to bury can be changed from the quicksand of defeat into stepping stones of victory and healing. God takes every “broken seed” and creates new life.

What past experiences have become the footholds of darkness in your life today? Face them now. Deal with them immediately and bury them. You have just taken another step out of the darkness into the light of restoration.

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