July 2020 | Page 03
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Overcoming Discouragement
Jason, Missionary, Blessing Youth Mission
Mrs. Rose was very active in ministry years back.
But she was overwhelmed by her son's broken
marriage. She was discouraged. Gradually she
withdrew herself from spiritual friends. Her
perspective grew more inward and she started to
develop self-pity. Finally, she slipped into
depression.
Discouragement affects all ages - from
school going toddler to an elderly person. A
working professional is no better than a
homemaker nor is a seasoned minister better
than a new believer. We all have our share of
discouragement. No one is immune to
discouragement. Even spiritual giants faced
discouragements in their life. Martin Luther,
Charles Spurgeon, Alexander Whyte, John Henry
Jowett, Andrew Bonar, and G. Campbell Morgan
all admitted to times of serious discouragement
(Warren, Wiersbe, 'Walking With the Giants').The
Bible calls this condition as a faint spirit (Isa 61:3)
or a crushed spirit (Psa 17:22).
If discouragement is not dealt properly, and
if it falls into the hands of the enemy, it could
prove to be fatal. Untreated discouragement can
lead to depression and even to suicidal
tendencies. We may loose our focus and may be
side-tracked. As a child of God, you and I need to
know how to handle discouragement in our lives.
We shall look at a great man of God who was
greatly discouraged and was slipping into
depression. But God in His mercy pulled him out
from this dark pit.
Elijah the Man for the Hour
Elijah was chosen by God during the darkest
hour of the history of Israel. The kingdom forsook
the true living God. King Ahab, incited by his wife
Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord and filled
the land of Israel with the worship of Baal.
Elijah ministered in such a time. He had no
friends or fellowships. He acted alone under the
direction of the Lord. He challenged king Ahab
and told that he had the keys for rain in the
kingdom. He summoned the prophets of Baal to
Mount Carmel and brought fire from high. He
slaughtered the prophets of Baal. He prayed for
rain and rain came down. For a period of time one
man controlled the climatic conditions of the
nation of Israel.
Truly, Elijah was a great man of God. In fact,
he was a prophet of fire. His words and deeds were
fiery. We read about all these things in the Biblical
chapters of 1 Ki 17, 18 &19.
But he was discouraged. If Elijah could be
discouraged, then you and I surely could. This is
what exactly James wrote,
“Elijah was a man with a nature like ours
(with the same physical, mental, and spiritual
limitations and shortcomings)” (Jas 5:17 AMP).
Let us meditate on the reasons for
discouragement from the life of Elijah and the
ways to overcome it.