I want you to imagine with me this scenario. You are really trying hard to get your priorities in the right order. You are praying more, studying your Bible more deeply looking for ways to help others, trying to be busy for the Lord! Things really seem to be working out too! You feel like you’re really making a difference. You didn’t do the work to hear comments or words of encouragement said to you, but lots of other Christians pull you aside and say sweet things that move you and encourage you. You are humbled and appreciative of their kind words.
The things they say to you become an encouragement in your life!
You feel very happy!
Then, it happens! One person, just one, seems to be quiet when you’re around. Or, you just feel a sense of contention between you and them. They may even say something ugly to you or about you. You think to yourself, “What happened between that person and myself?” “Did I say something that I shouldn’t have said?” “How in the world could they be upset with me? I haven’t done a thing to them!”
This situation then turns to worry. You can’t quit thinking about it. You are replaying it over and over in your mind thinking of all the things they could be upset about and it starts to eat away at your thoughts! Before you know it, you are starting to feel anger! You are now upset with them! You are thinking of all of the ways that you’ve been kind to them or prayed for them and this is how they repay you???
Now, you have developed a bad attitude.
Remember before, LOTS of people were encouraging you, but then ONE, just ONE person came to the table with some discouragement and that has stolen ALL of your joy! You have allowed one small discouragement to change your whole attitude!
Your prayer life starts to fail. You just don’t feel like studying your Bible. You start to pass up opportunities to serve because you just don’t feel like you can make a difference anyway. You aren’t as friendly at church and you really don’t feel like socializing. Maybe another Christian sister is working and trying very hard to do right and because you are discouraged, you are quiet toward her or you may even say something ugly to her.
You are now a discouragement!
Do you see what has happened?
The devil not only discouraged you when you were charged and ready to work, he turned you around and caused you to become a discouragement to another!
How did he do that???
Sadly, with only ONE discouraging word or action!
There were so many encouraging words, but he took you down with only ONE discouragement!
Now, I’m not sure if everyone can relate to this scenario, but I’m thinking that most Christian women can, at least to some degree, understand.
I want to figure out what to do about this kind of situation.
How can I keep this from happening to me?
How can I keep from becoming Distracted, Discouraged and Destroyed?
The Bible says in Ephesians 6 verses 10 and 11 (KJV), “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil”.
You see, the devil is hoping that we will one day be in Hell with him! When we are working hard for the Lord, this only makes us more interesting to the devil! He makes a plan to “trip us up”, so that we will fall! He uses whatever he can in order to turn us away from our Christian work. He will even use those that are the closest to us in order to discourage us! This is why we must be suited up with the whole armour of God, in order to protect ourselves and fight against the devil.
What is the whole armour of God?
We find a complete description of this armour in Ephesians 6: 10-18 (KJV).
There is the Breastplate of Righteousness, having your loins girt about with Truth, having our feet shod with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace, taking the Shield of Faith, the Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit!
If we are armed and ready, we are told that we will be able to “…quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (vs. 16)
The Bible tells us in I Peter 5:8 (KJV) to “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”
Temptation is no new thing for the devil! Remember, he first tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden. Eve fell and this is where sin first started.
(Genesis 3: 1-6)
He also tempted Jesus in Matthew 4: 1-11. He was not successful in getting Jesus to fall, of course. In verses 10 and 11, we read, “Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.”
If Satan tempted our own Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, you can know that he will for sure try to tempt us, when he knows we are so weak compared to Jesus!
Comparably, we are an easy target!
I would suggest that we use the Bible to help us know how to treat those that discourage us, no matter if it’s just one or many.
We are told in Matthew 5:44 (KJV)“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” In Proverbs 25:21-22 (KJV), “If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee.”
We should “Keep on Keeping on”, knowing that God will not allow us to be tempted more than we can handle.
I Corinthians 10:13 (KJV) “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
Reading in I Peter 4:19 (KJV) “Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing, as unto the faithful Creator.”
Let’s remember to pray for God’s help in fighting discouragement, pray for our hearts and pray for those who are unkind to us!
Philippians 4:6 (KJV)
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
Kitty Hackney
http://ahappyheart3.blogspot.com/