Words To Live By

Don’t Let Your Spirit to be Discouraged

The people allowed the ten spies to discourage their spirit about the Promised Land.

Balaam allowed Balak to discourage his spirit about what God wanted him to do about the people. Solomon allowed the heathen women to discourage his spirit about the sins of the flesh. Haman and Saul allowed jealousy to discourage their spirit about doing what was right. Jehospaphat was a good man in many respects, but he joined up with Ahad and discouraged his good spirit. Absalom stole the heart of the people with lies and discouraged their spirit.

In many ways, what we give to others we give to ourselves. God wants us to make the most of a difficult situation. Joseph would make the best of a bad situation and it paid off. Everything happened to Christ, but He would never stop trying to encourage others concerning salvation. He refused to allow anyone or anything to discourage His spirit about His Father’s business.

It is hard for people to take a fresh look at the difficult problem of others. There is not much use asking God to bless others as long as people are unwilling to bear their share of expense and time. In many ways God is saying, “Don’t wait for the other person to make the first move.” Aquila and Priscilla were self-starters in behalf of encouraging others. They simply had time and patience with others. Paul needed a place to stay. They provided it. Apollos needed some guidance, they gave it. The church needed a place to meet, the opened their house. They risked their lives in encouraging others.( Rom. 16:4).

Have you earned one more tomorrow by the work you did today? All of us know that real love produces volunteers. That prayer is never a substitute for effort. If we wait for an emergency to cause us to recognize the needs of others, we have probably waited too late. Why did Simon have to be compelled to carry the cross of Christ? It won’t help the situation at the end to say, “I used poor judgment about certain things for personal reason. God knows why I used poor judgment.