CENTRAL THOUGHT
Consider the LORD that endured such contradiction of sinners, and faint not.
HYMN: HO! MY COMRADES! SEE THE SIGNAL…
TEXT: Numbers 14:1-4, 1 King 19:2-4, 15-18, Matt. 11:2-6
INTRODUCTION
The Reader’s Digest Great Illustrated Dictionary defines “discourage” as “to cause someone to lose confidence, hope, enthusiasm or spirit; to be disheartened or daunted; to dissuade or deter”. Discouragement therefore means the act of discouraging. Everyone who accepts Jesus Christ as Lord is called to a race, a pilgrimage, a way of life on earth. This requires a daily exercise of confidence in God’s character and His word. Based on this confidence, we are expected to pattern our lives according to His word and to seek to please Him daily in every area. However, there are experiences that could make us lose our confidence in God or cause our zeal or enthusiasm to diminish or cease altogether. When this happens, we may inwardly develop doubts about God’s character and faithfulness to His word. The individual may gradually become lukewarm or indifferent to the things of God though maintaining an outward appearance of religion. In this lesson we shall look at the experiences of God’s people in the scriptures and seek to understand such situations and how best to handle them.
LESSON OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this study are:
- To examine the possible cause of discouragement.
- To understand why God allows us to go through life challenges.
- To appreciate how to overcome discouragement.
BIBLE TRUTH
Q1. WHAT EXPERIENCES IN LIFE MAY CAUSE DISCOURAGEMENT?
A. Passing through trials or circumstances that we feel ill-equipped to handle (Number 14:1-4).
The Israelites were glad when God delivered them from slavery and looked forward eagerly to the promised land flowing with milk and honey. They could not understand why they had to go through hunger, thirst, and the path of hostile tribes on their journey. Also, most of those sent to spy out the promised land reported it was full of giants and the cities with impenetrable walls. They had soon forgotten the mighty hand of God that brought them out of Egypt, and only focused on their own limitations. So, they set about choosing a leader to lead them back to Egypt.
Similarly, when we are saved, we often find it difficult to comprehend why God permits us to pass through difficulties, trials, and very demanding circumstances. We then wonder why He wouldn’t make the journey smooth, rosy and stress free! God’s answer to the Israelites, and us is in Deut. 8:2-3.
The trials and challenges He lets us go through are to train us not to rely on ourselves but to trust in Him, who is our strength. They are aimed at building character in us preparing us for greater fruit- fullness and responsibility in the vineyard and in the new age to come.
B. Facing persecution and ridicule in God’s service (1 King 19:2-4, 13-18, Matt. 11:2-6, 5:11-12).
John the Baptist towards the end of his life on earth sent his followers to ask Jesus if He was really the one to come! He had been imprisoned for standing for the truth. But the pressure of imprisonment (physical, emotional, and psychological) may have prompted the questions he posed at the Lord Jesus Christ. However, the answer the Lord sent back calmed his heart.
Elijah thought the he alone had remained true to God. He had seen great corruption in the kings court and the priesthood. After experiencing great victory over the prophets of Baal, the threat of Jezebel made him to run for his life! Lonely and discouraged, he concluded that it was better for him to die. God reassured him and showed that He was in control of the situation and had 7000 others who had not worshipped Baal.
When persecuted, lonely and discouraged in the service of God, be assured that there are several believers in similar situations who have continued in faithful service for the Lord. Be content with being faithful to Him in the little committed to you and trust in Him for the rest of the journey.
C. Apparent lack of progress in life.
This may involve a Christian lady getting as far as the mid thirties or beyond without getting married. It may be delay in getting a job or being forced to live with jobs with poor pay. Many of us may experience failures in our academic pursuits or difficulty in passing professional exams or business. These can result in discouragement and despair, but the word of God assures us that His thoughts and plans are the best for us (Jer. 29:11, 3 John 2).
D. Delay in having children.
No one who has not experienced it can claim to know what those involved pass through. What could have been more depressing than for Abram who had followed God faithfully to watch slaves raised in his household, get married and have children with ease while He had to wait for twenty-five years for God’s faithfulness to be fulfilled in the coming of Isaac. However, God remains God and is ever faithful, such that when there are no biological offspring’s discouragement can be overcome knowing that He can raise a family for one.
E. Others.
The following also have the potential to lead to discouragement: constant criticism and lack of appreciation by others, betrayal by close friends and brethren, sudden loss of dear ones, inability to meet up with family demands, having difficult spouse and way ward children, or harsh parents and so on. However, the believer should commit his way to the Lord, trust in Him, to direct his path and ask for grace to overcome.
Q2. HOW CAN WE OVERCOME DISCOURAGEMENT?
A. Realize that God’s intentions and plans are for our good. (Jer. 29:11, Rom. 8:28, 3 John 2).
God cannot think or plan evil. He has both short and long term plans for each of His children, and in His sovereignty chooses the best methods to actualize them. Are you born again, are you an obedient child? Is your heart set primarily at pleasing Him? Then, He will not toy with your life and holds you dear. Remind yourself again and again that your experiences are allowed for your good. Could Joseph have become Governor of Egypt if he had not gone through the heart break of being sold by his brothers into slavery? Could Hannah have had the privilege of giving Israel one of its best leaders without enduring childlessness for a while? Could David have developed the deep intimacy and experience of God we see in the Psalms without for example, being hunted by Saul? No matter our experience. God will not change. We may not understand His ways all the time but we can trust Him to remain true to His character.
B. God never promised us that there will be no challenges (Isa. 43:2, Heb. 12:1-7, James 1:2-4).
There is a wrongfully held impression that every challenge, difficulty, trial that comes the Christian’s ways is caused by the devil. While our adversary does cause problems (and we must resist him firmly), this impression is in-consistent with Scripture. It was God that led Israel on the path to the Red Sea, knowing it would be a barrier! It was He that took them along paths in the wilderness where water was scarce or there was no food. Even though it seemed in Joseph’s experience that God allowed his brothers do their worst to him (Gen. 37:25-28), Joseph himself in the later years and with better spiritual insight stated “You intended it to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Gen. 50:20). What God promises us is that no matter what He takes us through He will be with us to keep us through it (Ps.23:4, 91:5). We must find solace in this while the difficulty lasts. Joseph had this experience (Gen. 39:5, 21-23), as well as the three Hebrew young men in the fiery furnace (Daniel 3:25-26).
C. God’s delays are not denials.
It took Abraham 25 years to have a son and Isaac twenty. Though Joseph had God’s revelation as a boy that he will be a leader, the path to the throne involved thirteen years of slavery and being a prisoner. It took Hannah years of ridicule in the eyes of men before having children. Who would say that God hated any of them? In the end God accomplished more than what was naturally possible. He has not changed. Who knows what He is working out in your life.
D. Constant prayer and study of God’s word. (Col. 3:16, Phil. 4:6-8).
God loves us and desires fellowship with us. Through our constant prayer and study of God’s word, He can speak to our hearts and we can express our fears, cares, worries, frustrations, and pain to Him. Then, His peace will guard our hearts giving us courage and stability through our experiences.
E. Walk by faith not by sight (Hab. 2:4)
“The righteous shall live by faith”, we must cultivate the habit of saturating our hearts with God’s word and basing our hopes and expectations on it and not on what things appear to be. We must verbally declare what we believe to God, our-selves, our circumstances, the enemy and refuse to be moved.
F. Sharing our challenges with mature Christians for counsel. Prov. 11:14
When we share our challenges with more mature Christians, our burdens are often lessened, and we can receive wise counsel on how best to handle the situation. Wise counsel is one based on the principles of God’s word; all else must be rejected.
Q3. DISCUSS HOW DAVID HANDLED THE DISTRESSING EXPERIENCE IN 1 SAMUEL 30:1-9 It was a horrible experience for David and his men. First, they gave vent to their emotions… they wept until they had no more strength to weep. “But David found strength in the Lord his God.” He did not resign himself to what seemed a hopeless situation, he reminded himself of what he knew of God’s character and ways. He reminded himself of the previous deliverances and interventions God had accomplished in his life, and as he did, strength welled up within him. Then he sought God’s word and guidance on what to do to remedy the situation, followed it and victory came in the end. Every believer, in moments of distress, should seek the LORD through His word, be guided by the Holy Spirit to receive strength and victory over discouragement.
DAILY LIVING APPLICATION
The Lord promised that He will not leave us comfortless, like orphans John 14:18. He says “I am with you always even to the end of the age”.
When we face discouraging situations, we must learn to draw strength from the Lord and not rely on ourselves. We must refuse to walk by sight and hold on to our trust in God and we will always find that the Lord is near Phil. 4:4-7.
MEMORY VERSE
Romans 8:28
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose”.
DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
Monday: A discouraging experience for a leader.
Num. 14:1-4
Tuesday: Discouraged by persecution and ridicule.
1 King 19:2-4, 13-14
Wednesday: Handling a distressing experience.
1 Sam. 30:1-9
Thursday: Overcoming discouragement
Jer. 29:11, Rom. 8:28, 3 John 2
Friday: Victory over challenges assured.
Ps. 23:4, 91:15, Isa. 43:2
Saturday: Run the race with patience.
Heb. 12:1-7