Don't Lose Heart

“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” (Galatians 6:9)
 
Discouragement may be satan’s number one weapon. Adrian Rogers says, “There’s a legend that tells about the devil one day, who was auctioning off his tools—you know, the tools that he wrecks every work of God with—and he had all of his tools out there. There was pride, and the price on pride. And there was laziness, and there was arrogance, and there was hate, and there was envy, and there was jealousy, and all of these tools. And he had a high price on all of them. But there was one tool that had a sign under it: “Not for Sale”—sort of a strange looking tool. And someone said, “What is that tool, and why isn’t it for sale?” He said, “Well, I couldn’t afford to get rid of that one. That’s my chief tool. It’s discouragement.” And the friend said, “Well, why is it so important?” “Well,” he said, “with this tool I can get into a heart and pry it open. And once I get into that heart, I can do most anything I want. Discouragement is my chief tool.”[1]
 
Bob Russell says, “A lot of preachers, who don’t have a problem with immorality or false doctrine, get discouraged because they see so little growth and see so few responses to the invitation. Teachers, who began with such high ideals in the public system and started with the goals of imparting knowledge and guiding lives, get discouraged and lose their vision. Christian businessmen begin with the goals of starting a business, hiring godly people, making money and being generous with the profits only to get discouraged as they see their salesmen transfer to their competitor, or people not appreciating what they are doing. Parents want to rear their children to know the Lord, but they get discouraged as their children become teenagers and begin resisting and rebelling against the Lord. Moses once got so disgusted with the children of Israel that he prayed, “God, just wipe them off the map!” Elijah once got so discouraged with his responsibility that he prayed, “God, just take my life – I’m the only prophet left in Israel.” [2]

Russell continues, “There is a difference between depression and discouragement. Depression is a prolonged period of melancholy often brought on by a series of circumstances, while discouragement is a temporary loss of enthusiasm for a particular task. Discouragement focuses on a goal that seems unattainable.”[3]

The dictionary defines discourage as “to deprive of courage, to deter, to dishearten, to hinder.” The New Testament uses three Greek words to carry the idea of being disheartened, dispirited, or discouraged. We always translate them as “to faint” or “to grow weary.” For example …“Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged” (Colossians 3:21). 2 Corinthians 4:1 says, “Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.” … [I]n Ephesians 3:13, Paul writes, “Do not lose heart at my tribulations for you.” Jesus brings up the subject in the context of prayer. “He spoke a parable to them,” Luke 18:1 tells us, “that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.” [4]
 
Reflection Question: What area of your life have you been tempted to give up on? How can you ask God for renewed strength to keep going?

Lord, I confess that discouragement has crept into my heart at times. Help me to remember your promise that my labor is not in vain. Give me the strength to persevere, even when I don’t see the results. Keep my heart focused on you and your purpose for my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Adapted from: "God's Answer for Discouragement": https://www.joshfranklin.org/media/zmvsph4/8-god-s-answer-for-discouragement

   [1] Adrian Rogers, “Dealing with Discouragement,” in Adrian Rogers Sermon Archive (Signal Hill, CA: Rogers Family Trust, 2017), Ne 4.
   [2] Transcribed from Bob Russell audio sermon, “Dealing with Discouragement,” from Nehemiah.
   [3] Ibid.
   [4] David Jeremiah, Slaying the Giants in Your Life (Nashville, TN: W Pub., 2001), 22.