When Discouragement Seems Endless
I believe that discouragement poses the biggest threat of all to success in ministry. It’s easy to look at some circumstances (such as the entire year of 2020 perhaps?), wonder why God has abandoned us, and give up.
However, consider the biblical story of Joseph the visionary.
Sold into slavery. Imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. Left to rot in the darkness of a damp dungeon. You know the story.
How did he ever overcome massively discouraging events flooding into his life one after the other?
When the winter sets in here in Northern Ohio and grey clouds, continuous rain, and depressing gloom stretch out over days, I struggle to stay positive. My emotions change. I shudder to imagine existing in a dungeon totally devoid of sunlight!
I picture Joseph sitting there in that dungeon pondering all that has happened. God gave him a vision that he perhaps unwisely shared. Then...
He was betrayed by his own family members, his brothers.
He was slandered. And the slander was believed.
He lost everything. More than once.
His good was repaid with evil.
He was mistreated.
He was forgotten.
In my imagination, as he pondered those things, rats came running, trying to snatch the small amount of food his jailers occasionally provide.
Did he question God at that moment? How did he keep his mind right? And his faith? Yet he did.
In fact, when called upon he was immediately ready to use his spiritual gifts with a humble and helpful attitude and bold faith in God.
He could have nursed and rehearsed past painful events. He could have become bitter, seething with resentment against his brothers. How could they? And his former boss? Didn’t he serve him with full, unquestioning loyalty? Didn’t they know his character? And God, why did you allow these things? Why did you do this to me?
Perhaps such thoughts crossed his mind. Yet he didn’t allow himself to continually feast upon them. He chose instead a wiser, healthier way.
He trusted God even though he didn’t understand. I believe he poured his hurt out to God and opened his heart for healing.
That decision made him ready to step into immediate and bold leadership when the opportunity presented itself.
Beyond that, he also eventually stood before his brothers weeping and ready to forgive and care for them.
He didn’t become bitter. He became better.
He made that choice. You and I can do the same.
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