When was the last time you were discouraged? Was it when you performed poorly on an exam and got a bad grade? Did you make a mistake in a game that caused your team to lose?
All of us are discouraged at some point. There will be a time in your life that you will be discouraged, in school, sports, hobbies, and even your friendships. When it comes, you'll be tempted to give up and quit caring.
You'll even be discouraged in your pursuit of Jesus. There will be a time when you'¢ll be tempted to quit caring about living for Him.
When this happens, you'll feel guilty and ashamed, as if you're the only one who ever felt that way. You're not. Even Jesus Christ was tempted to give up.
Before enduring horrendous pain and suffering, Jesus was discouraged. He was tempted to not go through the agony of the cross. Thankfully Jesus didn't give up. He had you and me in mind. He knew that he had come to save his people from their sins (Matt. 1:21).
Even though following Jesus Christ doesn't mean that your life will be easy and pain free, trusting in Jesus, who suffered for you, will empower you to endure any level of suffering you experience.
Jesus didn't give up on you. He endured suffering to the point of losing His life for you. Since Jesus persevered and kept pushing through, in Christ we, too, can persevere and continue our pursuit of Jesus when we suffer.
Read Ephesians 3:1-13
How do Paul-s words to the Ephesians take on new meaning when you realize that Paul was most likely lying on a cold floor in the dark with an aching body from repeated beatings in prison? What do you believe is the secret to avoiding discouragement, bitterness, unbelief, and anger while suffering?
Prayer
Ask for God's grace to help you and your family to not lose heart in the middle of any suffering or affliction.
Ephesians 3:1-13 NKJV
1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles—
2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,
3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already,
4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),
5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:
6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,
7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.
Purpose of the Mystery
8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;
10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,
11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,
12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.
13 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
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