Dicouragement

(Ezra 1-4)

Discouragement comes in all shapes and sizes, it comes in various forms and from different directions. It makes us abandon those things that we have determined to accomplish and those things we have set our hearts toward completing. It eats away at our very souls, making us an empty vessel. It is ugly and sad to see the end result of discouragement. I have been there and don't want to go back!

When the Babylonians were defeated and Cyrus, king of Persia came into power, he determined to send the Israelites back home. What a day of celebration that must have been! Nearly seventy years as captives in a foreign land; home must have seemed to be a distant, far away dream. He told them to go home, resettle their towns and rebuild the temple of the LORD.

Over 42,000 decide to go. I imagine that after living in a place your whole life; even though it might not be your dream home, it would still be difficult to leave all you know to go to place you have never seen. But still, 42,000 make the trip home. Cyrus provides the resources needed for the trip and he orders his subjects to provide for the rebuilding of the temple. They give them "gold and silver, goods and livestock, and with valuable gifts."

They arrive back in Jerusalem and begin to rebuild. While that is good news for them, imagine how those that were not Jewish, yet lived nearby felt. I can imagine the conversations around the water coolers. "They are back, those that killed our forefathers and took our land have been returned to build that temple again." "Here we go again, just when we were getting used to having our land and our gods." "What can we do to stop this from happening?" "How can we discourage them from living here and bringing God back into our lives?"

They decided that the best way to stop the rebuilding was to "help" them. Smart! Sometimes an enemy will work from the inside to destroy the efforts. The leaders of the effort recognized the ploy and told them that they "have no part with us in building a temple to our God." So, they determined to put roadblocks in their way. They decided to "discourage" them and bring "fear" into their lives. "They hired counselors to work against them and frustrate their plans." They conspired together to end the effort of the Jews to reestablish their homes and a home for God.

Discouragement and fear.... two feelings that get in the way of accomplishing anything of value. God calls us to lives of service to him and his creation. He calls us to tell people about his son, Jesus and teach them to obey his commandments.  We start out excited and ready to go, but soon... discouragement and fear. Our enemy knows how to work on us. Soon we are concerned about what people think of us. Soon we are rejected by someone and we decide that it is easier to be silent. We worry about losing our jobs or not getting a promotion. We worry about losing our friends and being rejected by our families. Discouragement and fear.

Early Christians faced the same things that we encounter. They give us great examples of how to confront discouragement and fear and overcome the emotions that paralyze us. In Acts 4, Peter and John are taken into custody for teaching about Jesus and spent the night in jail. They brought them out the next day and ordered them to stop teaching about Jesus. I am sure they felt discouragement  and fear. Who wouldn't? But they give us a great lesson in overcoming!

"Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:18-20)

I like that... "we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard". Discouraged, sure. Fearful, sure. But they had something, they knew someone, they trusted in Him and that was stronger than a feeling. HE is able! And because HE is able, so are we. Our trust is in Him. We know Him. He gives us encouragement and courage. Through Him, we can overcome anything that comes our way.

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (2 Cor: 9:8)

What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ (Phil 3:8)

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Phil 4:3)