I'm easily discouraged. I'm in ministry so this is a horrible trait to have, but I am. You can say something to me off the cuff - not thinking anything of it but I am so easily discouraged that it has the power to take me out of the game for a good while.
I don't want to be that person. I've been praying about it for a long time now-asking God:
-See I would think Wow, God's doing something huge - but then I would have easily been discouraged by the drunk comments. I would have probably stalled out crying and praying because I have this stupid need for EVERYONE - not just some, but everyone to like me. (don't judge me, I know it's dumb, I'm working on it.) (;
But Peter stood his ground. (vs14-47) and thousands were saved.
- Acts 3, they healed a lame beggar, many continued to be saved Acts 4 - Now the government is upset with them and they're thrown in Jail - see discouragement. Jail would discourage me, but not them and many more were saved.
See, the apostles did amazing things for God, yet they also faced discouragment, however they did not allow it to side track them.... I've been praying, "LORD, how do I follow you consistently without giving in to the constant discouragement you face in ministry. How do I continue to run this race without stalling out?
And like a light bulb today - it clicked.
The apostles didn't always have that faith. Over and over again in the gospels you see Jesus calling them out saying, "You of little Faith, how long until you believe me." Every time they hit a storm at sea, they ran low on food, someone died - you see them stalling out, discouraged, questioning Jesus. The Apostles didn't get great faith over night. It came by having a consistant, intimate relationship with the Almighty God. It came from the years they walked closely with Jesus.
I even get discouraged because sometimes I still tell God No'. I sense Him wanting me to speak to someone and I'm too scared or I sense Him asking me to do something outside of my comfort zone and I say No', whether it's by my questioning if it was really Him or for whatever reason, I still struggle with saying No'.
Peter, despite His Great Love for Christ still denied Him 3 times!!! Christ asked the discples to stay up and pray the night before He was taken to the cross. Something that simple but they didn't have the faith to see that little step of obedience as important.
No, I do not yet have the Faith of a Mustard Seed. (Matt. 17:20-21) But I'm not going to quit pursuing Him until I do.
Give me Faith!
I don't want to be that person. I've been praying about it for a long time now-asking God:
- How did Daniel have the faith that would take him into the Lions Den. Knowing that you had the power to deliver him, but even if You didn't he was going to follow You.
- How did Shadrach, Meshach and Abindego have the faith to follow you into the furnace?
- How did the Apostles continue Your work while faced with so much discouragement?
- I've been reading their story, seeing their faith and also seeing the times that I would take a huge hit of discouragment, many that would possess the power to take me completely out of the game.
-See I would think Wow, God's doing something huge - but then I would have easily been discouraged by the drunk comments. I would have probably stalled out crying and praying because I have this stupid need for EVERYONE - not just some, but everyone to like me. (don't judge me, I know it's dumb, I'm working on it.) (;
But Peter stood his ground. (vs14-47) and thousands were saved.
- Acts 3, they healed a lame beggar, many continued to be saved Acts 4 - Now the government is upset with them and they're thrown in Jail - see discouragement. Jail would discourage me, but not them and many more were saved.
See, the apostles did amazing things for God, yet they also faced discouragment, however they did not allow it to side track them.... I've been praying, "LORD, how do I follow you consistently without giving in to the constant discouragement you face in ministry. How do I continue to run this race without stalling out?
- You can't be bold without facing rejection.
- You can't follow God without losing friends.
- You can't run this race and please others.
- It's choose GOD or choose the world and I desperately want to choose God with every fiber of my being!
Lord, give me Faith to Trust YOU and Your Word over the opinions or views of others. I'm so far from being there, "How do I get there?"
And like a light bulb today - it clicked.
The apostles didn't always have that faith. Over and over again in the gospels you see Jesus calling them out saying, "You of little Faith, how long until you believe me." Every time they hit a storm at sea, they ran low on food, someone died - you see them stalling out, discouraged, questioning Jesus. The Apostles didn't get great faith over night. It came by having a consistant, intimate relationship with the Almighty God. It came from the years they walked closely with Jesus.
I even get discouraged because sometimes I still tell God No'. I sense Him wanting me to speak to someone and I'm too scared or I sense Him asking me to do something outside of my comfort zone and I say No', whether it's by my questioning if it was really Him or for whatever reason, I still struggle with saying No'.
Peter, despite His Great Love for Christ still denied Him 3 times!!! Christ asked the discples to stay up and pray the night before He was taken to the cross. Something that simple but they didn't have the faith to see that little step of obedience as important.
No, I do not yet have the Faith of a Mustard Seed. (Matt. 17:20-21) But I'm not going to quit pursuing Him until I do.
Give me Faith!
HIS clay~
Melissa
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