2020-11-14
Psalm 34:1 NLT
It’s important for us to remember to praise God for everything He’s done for us. The psalmist wrote, ‘I will praise the LORD at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. I will boast only in the LORD; let all who are helpless take heart. Come, let us tell of the LORD’s greatness; let us exalt his name together’ (Psalm 34:1-3 NLT). There are lots of things we can learn about praise in these few verses.
1) Praise is a decision we have to make. ‘I will praise the LORD at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.’ It can be easy to praise God when things are going well for us, but we need to make a conscious decision to praise Him during the bad times too. Praising God during tough times helps to remind us of how good he’s been in the past, and because we know He doesn’t change, He’ll be just as good to us in the future too.
2) Praise strengthens us. ‘I will boast only in the LORD; let all who are helpless take heart.’ When we’re struggling or facing challenges, it’s God’s strength, not our own, that’ll get us through. When we praise God, we give Him the glory and acknowledge that we need Him. He has never let us down or left us to face things alone, and He never will.
3) Praise unites us. ‘Come, let us tell of the LORD’s greatness; let us exalt his name together.’ Joining others in praise and worship and sharing in each other’s joy helps us to feel connected on a deeper level. It’s an opportunity to set aside our differences and remember that we’re united by our love for God.
1 Chr 19:1-23:20; John 11:1-16; Ps 4; Prov 26:17-22
2020-11-13
Nehemiah 4:14 NIV
The third thing we can do to break through discouragement is: Fight a gloomy outlook. Attitude is a little thing, but it can make a big difference. Having a talent for what we’re doing is important, but being talented won’t always carry us through the challenging times. But if we also have enthusiasm for what we’re doing, we’re less likely to be discouraged when we come across problems. And if we really, really, really believe that God is on our side, we’ll be able to be optimistic even in the face of overwhelming obstacles and discouragement.
In the Old Testament, a group of former slaves were rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. On top of the difficult and strenuous work involved, they were also facing attacks from enemies at the same time. It would have been understandable if they’d become too discouraged to continue, but their leader, Nehemiah, encouraged them not to surrender to discouragement: ‘Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families…and your homes.’ They ended up completing the wall in just 52 days.
One of Satan’s favourite weapons is discouragement. He knows we can never be defeated unless we’re defeated in our thinking and forget that God is working for us. But we have the power to overcome the devil and his discouragement. The Bible says, ‘Give yourselves completely to God. Stand against the devil, and the devil will run from you’ (James 4:7 NCV). We all experience fatigue, frustration, failure, and fear. But by standing on God’s promises and drawing on His strength, we can choose to fight and stand against discouragement.
1 Chr 16-18; John 10:22-42; Ps 83:9-18; Prov 26:13-16
2020-11-12
Nehemiah 4:14 NIV
The second thing we can do to break through our discouragement is: Don’t just think about the problem, think about the Lord. Nehemiah said: ‘After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles…officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome.”‘ There are three things to try and remember:
1) Remember God’s goodness in the past. When we start thinking about all the good things He’s already done in our lives, our spirits will be lifted and our worries can be eased.
2) Remember God’s closeness in the present. What’s He doing in your life right now? The truth is, He is with us whether or not we feel His nearness. He said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’ (Hebrews 13:5 NIV).
3) Remember God’s power for the future. He’ll give us strength for our needs.
When we get discouraged, we should try to stop focusing on our circumstances and focus on God instead. This isn’t always an easy thing to do, especially if we’re feeling overwhelmed by our situation, so it’s helpful to choose some encouraging Bible verses to memorise and quote when things feel too much for us to handle. For example: ‘I can do all this through him who gives me strength’ (Philippians 4:13 NIV). ‘If God is for us, who can be against us?’ (Romans 8:31 NIV). ‘Everything is possible for one who believes’ (Mark 9:23 NIV). It’s often our thoughts that determine our feelings, so by filling our minds with promises from God’s Word, we can take steps towards breaking through discouragement.
1 Chr 12:23-15:29; John 10:11-21; Ps 83:1-8; Prov 26:7-12
2020-11-11
Nehemiah 4:14 NIV
We all experience times of discouragement. Whether it’s in our relationships, our studies, our jobs, following God’s call, or just life in general, there’ll be times when we don’t seem to be getting anywhere, or we feel overwhelmed by the problems and challenges that lie ahead. So for the next few days, let’s take a look at how we can break through discouragement.
First, look for a better way of doing things. While rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls, the people of Judah were laughed at by their enemies, who said that they weren’t capable of completing the task, and then threatened to attack and kill them. The Jews understandably became fearful and discouraged. But Nehemiah ‘stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows’ (v. 13 NIV).
Nehemiah realised that in order to experience breakthrough in their situation, they’d have to start doing things differently. So he organised the people in a different way, to provide the best protection while the wall was being built.
When we get discouraged, we mustn’t give up on our goals. Instead, we should take a step back and ask God to help us find a new approach. That might mean we have to do things with a new attitude, try a new strategy, or find a new way of working. We can also ask God to help us see our situation from His perspective. Sometimes, simply looking at things from a different angle can help us to see a way through our problems and give us the encouragement and confidence to carry on.
1 Chr 10:1-12:22; John 10:1-10; Ps 133; Prov 26:1-6
2020-11-10
Hebrews 4:15 NIVUK
When someone comes to us for comfort, or even asking for advice, our reaction is usually to try and find solutions to their problem, but they often just need our presence, a listening ear, and a willingness to share in their sorrow. If our response sounds like a quick fix to them, they might think that we don’t really have time for them. One of the most beautiful things ever said about Jesus in the Bible is: ‘For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet he did not sin.’ Sometimes what a person wants most from us is just to know that we understand what they’re going through, and that we care. So here’s how we can help:
1) Listen with an open heart, rather than trying to talk away their problem.
2) If they’re crying, share their tears. If they’re silent, share their silence.
3) Let them know you’re available, ready to help, and that you’ll always have time for them.
4) Remind them that humans can only do so much, but God can do the impossible.
5) If they’ll let you, pray for them and with them.
In one of the Native American languages, the word ‘friend’ is translated as ‘one who carries my sorrows on his or her back’. It’s a lovely definition that illustrates how we can support our friends by empathising with them, and also how God supports us through troubles. Psalm 55:2 says: ‘Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you’ (NLT). By listening, caring, and praying for our friends, we help lift their worries off their shoulders and place them on God’s.
1 Chr 7:20-9:44; John 9:24-41; Ps 99; Prov 25:26-28
2020-11-09
Luke 6:35 NLT
In Luke 6, Jesus gives us a command: ‘To you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you…If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them!… Love your enemies! Do good to them…and you will be truly acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate’ (v.27-36 NLT).
Later, we see Jesus put this command into action in the most powerful way. As He was dying on the cross, exhausted, humiliated, and in excruciating pain, He prayed for everyone who had put Him there: ‘Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing’ (Luke 23:34 NLT). In the midst of His unimaginable suffering, He stayed faithful to God’s will, loving His enemies, doing good to those who hated Him, and praying for those who had hurt Him. We need to remember His model of forgiveness and work towards being as forgiving when someone wrongs us. (We also need to remember that if someone has harmed us or put us in danger, it’s important that we seek help.)
Forgiveness is a process, and it probably won’t come naturally to us at first. How often have we held a grudge or got irritated when someone didn’t hold a door open for us, or used our favourite mug, or sat in ‘our’ place at church? Let’s start the process by meeting these minor irritations with forgiveness, and work our way towards a heart like Christ’s.
1 Chr 6:1-7:19; John 9:13-23; Ps 115; Prov 25:23-25
