Fresh Mannaby Pastor Tim BurtHave you ever been out in the evening when the sun has started to go down? As the sunlight begins to diminish, it quickly gets harder and harder to see clearly. That’s also what happens to your heart during tough times. When things get tough, it's like there is an attack on your imagination. Things seem to get dark because of discouraging thoughts seeping into your mind. The confusion of being unable to think through something clearly might set in and make it difficult to know what to do. At that moment, unless you intentionally focus and remember that God has not left you and you are not alone, you could quickly begin to feel like you are being swallowed in darkness and hopelessness.Staying close to God through His Word, through prayer, and fellowship with other Christians is a lifeline—especially in times like this! Many people react to discouragement by pulling back from others and wanting to be alone. They begin to isolate themselves which is exactly the opposite of what they should do! Far too many people fail to realize that their God-friends are often led by the Holy Spirit to be a source of encouragement and reminder of God's love. But because they fail to recognize this, they isolate and think wrong hopeless thoughts. Even though it's they who are isolating, they also feel abandoned by others not reading their mind and somehow knowing to come and encourage them out of it. These kinds of imaginations do happen and they lead you to offense—being upset and mad at people and God and feeling abandoned.God and friends are not the problem. They are the solution! The Apostle Paul understood this truth. He’d been through countless times of discouragement, including beating and stoning and betrayal by religious people. And so, understanding how the devil operates in times of darkness, he prepared himself to deal with those times the right way so he wouldn't fall into this trap. Instead he said, “... I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.” (Acts 24:16 NKJV) Paul refused to remain offended at anyone and he refused to feel abandoned by God!All of us have experienced discouragement. All of us have been disappointed in our expectations of how things turn out. It's easy to get discouraged, but yielding to hopelessness, isolation, and offense have to be resisted. We have to believe that God will make and show us a way to a better place. We can and should because He promises to help and deliver us. We see God's Word promise His help again and again.Psalms 37:40 (NKJV) "And the Lord shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, And save them, Because they trust in Him."I will talk more about this in my next post, but today, if you are feeling discouraged in anyway, remember that your Christian friends and God are not the problem. They are a part of your solution! Get mad at the devil but not mad at them. And then cling to this promise we just read! The Lord shall help and deliver you from the wicked. He will save you because you do trust Him!More next time...
Psalms 46:1 (NIV) "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble."
In His love,Pastor Tim Burt
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