In today’s post … we’ll talk about those times when you feel worn down and discouraged by your circumstances. Maybe you’re exhausted from dealing with a strong-willed child, a difficult marriage, or some other family issue. Maybe you have suffered a devastating loss over the past year and the holidays were especially difficult. You may have lost a job or had some other financial setback. Or maybe you’re worried about rising costs or a medical diagnosis.
You may be so discouraged you’re tempted to give up altogether. How do you keep going when life seems so full of challenges?
Today’s Readings:
Zechariah 4-6
Psalm 148.1-6
Proverbs 30.24-28
Revelation 17.1-18
Discouraged by Your Circumstances?
Zechariah 4-6:
Discouraged & Tempted to Give Up
After 70 years in captivity, a group of Jews had been permitted to return to Jerusalem to live and rebuild the temple. But more than sixteen years had passed. Instead of completing the work, they had become discouraged by the challenges they faced and all but given up.
God had already sent the Prophet Haggai to rebuke them and shake them from their complacency. And now Zechariah was to encourage them to keep going.
The Word of the Lord
Zerubbabel was God’s chosen leader and this word from God was meant to encourage him to get the job done.
This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel. ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts (v. 4.6).
This should be an encouragement to us, as well, when we’re discouraged by our circumstances. It’s meant to remind us to not rely on our own strength or abilities but to call on God and rely on Him.
The writer of Hebrews said it this way.
The Help We Need
Hebrews 4.14-16:
14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
When we come to Him boldly in prayer, He promises to give us the help and the grace we need in every situation.
And James 1.2-7 says:
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
He will provide us with the wisdom we need, but we must trust Him implicitly, not wavering back and forth between trusting Him and trying to take control ourselves. When we do, we only slow down the process and hinder our prayers.
Step Out in Faith
Finally, we must step out in faith and DO what He is asking us to do, even when we’re discouraged! That may mean …
Responding with kindness and compassion when we feel like pushing back with anger and revenge (Eph. 4.31-32; Rom. 12.17-21).
Staying when we are hurt, rejected, discouraged, and disillusioned (1 Cor. 7.12-14).
Waiting when we feel like taking matters into our own hands (Ps. 27.14).
Praying when we are tempted to worry (Phil. 4.6).
Lovingly disciplining our children when we feel guilt-ridden and alone (Eph. 6.4).
Speaking words of grace when we are tired and frustrated (Eph. 4.29).
Getting up when we feel like pulling the covers over our heads (Jas. 1.22-25).
Calling on the power of God when we are stretched beyond our abilities (Heb. 4.14-16).
Counting it all joy when we are in the midst of the battle (Jas. 1.2-4).
Resisting the devil by submitting to God when it goes against our feelings (Jas. 4.7).
Loving the unlovable (Matt. 22.37-40).
Trusting when we don’t see the good (Rom. 8.28-29) or the way of escape (1 Cor. 10.13).
Rejoicing in Him (1 Thess. 5.16).
Seeking good biblically sound counsel if we need it (Prov. 11.14).*
And choosing to believe that we will have God’s help and strength just when we need it (Heb. 4.14-16).
*If you need counseling …
Go to your pastor or some other mature Christian leader. Or you can contact the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors to find a counselor in your area.
Today’s Other Readings:
Psalm 148.1-6:
Praise Him Continually!
1 Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
Praise Him in the heights!
2 Praise Him, all His angels;
Praise Him, all His hosts!
3 Praise Him, sun and moon;
Praise Him, all you stars of light!
4 Praise Him, you heavens of heavens,
And you waters above the heavens!5 Let them praise the name of the LORD,
For He commanded and they were created.
6 He also established them forever and ever;
He made a decree which shall not pass away.
Just as all creation itself praises God by its very existence, so are we, His creations, to praise Him continually! Even, as we talked about above, when we are discouraged or overwhelmed.
Proverbs 30.24-28:
God’s Perfect Design
24 There are four things which are little on the earth,
But they are exceedingly wise:
25 The ants are a people not strong,
Yet they prepare their food in the summer;
26 The rock badgers are a feeble folk,
Yet they make their homes in the crags;
27 The locusts have no king,
Yet they all advance in ranks;
28 The spider skillfully grasps with its hands,
And it is in kings’ palaces.
In these four tiny creatures—ants, rock badgers, locusts, and spiders—we see the sovereign design of a faithful creator and the importance of hard work, faithfulness, organization, and making good use of our God-given resources.
Revelation 17.1-18:
False Religion
1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, ‘Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.’
3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. 5 And on her forehead a name was written:
MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT,
THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS
AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS
OF THE EARTH.6 I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.
This harlot on a scarlet beast represents the world’s false religious systems which all originated at the Tower of Babel, and in particular, it represents the system that will take shape at the end of the age. The beast which carries her is Antichrist who will use her for a time as it suits his purpose. The purple, scarlet, and gold represent royalty and wealth. She is very successful at luring men and women into spiritual adultery, even the rich and famous.
The Blood of Saints
She is drunk with the “blood of the saints.” Satan hates those who belong to God and he has used those caught up in false religion to kill true believers throughout history from Old Testament times to the Reformation and Inquisition to modern times in China, the Middle East, and many other places. It will continue to get worse, especially, during the Tribulation.
But in the end, Satan will turn against this false religious system and set himself up to be worshiped.
I hope you’re enjoying this brief overview of the book of Revelation. Just a few more chapters to go. But you can go back and read the last few posts to catch up. You can search by date beginning with December 11th.
Coming Up:
In the next few days, we’ll talk more about how to face tests and trials, the danger of believing lies, how the Bible is not 66 books, but one, and about the importance of giving our best to God. I hope you’ll join us.
Get Ready for the Coming Year
Christmas has come and the new year will be on us before we know it. What will you do to make Bible reading an ongoing habit in the coming year? I want to encourage you to set a goal to read through the Bible again or for the first time. If you join me here, I’ll take you through a plan that covers both the Old and New Testaments in about 15 minutes a day. Sign up here for my daily email. It can serve as a gentle reminder to stay on track and I believe you’ll benefit from the additional background and application comments that I share.
Start today so you can begin the habit and it will be a regular part of your day come January.
My Bible in a Year series will also be on YouTube this year. You can subscribe now and preview the first video here.
You can also follow me on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest. Just click on the social media icons. But nothing replaces having the daily devotion pop up in your inbox each day. It, usually (once in a while life gets in the way), goes out at 6 a.m. MST. Also, don’t forget to check out our sister site Joyful Marriage Ministries.
Blessings as you grow in Christ,
Donna ♥
Note about this post:
I began blogging through the Bible in 2012 and have done so every year since then. These posts are the product of many edits and additions throughout those years. Some days I make major changes, other days fewer.
A while ago, I read Jen Wilkin’s book None Like Him about the attributes of God. One is His incomprehensibility. In it, she says, “God is incomprehensible. This does not mean that he is unknowable, but that he is unable to be fully known.”
I have found that to be true each year as I’ve gone back through the Bible. Sometimes I find myself feeling as if a passage just appeared there for the first time. I’m reminded that no matter how many times we read through the Bible, we have only scratched the surface. I hope you feel the same.
Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways,
And how small a whisper we hear of Him!
But the thunder of His power who can understand?” (Job 26.14)
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