Undiscouragement

This post is kind of personal. What I am writing about is something that God has been working in my own heart. My prayer is that this is encouraging to you, although it applies specifically to me. Thanks to a great friend for encouraging me to write this out :).

Discouragement. It sinks in from time to time. Regardless of the cause (there could be any number of culprits)--the feeling is the same. You feel sad, weak—possibly even useless or unappreciated. This last week discouragement sunk in with me in a worse way than it had for some time. But God never leaves me to drown. He is far too good for that. And His purposes are good—good enough that I wouldn't want to escape the trials He lets into my life. Not even if I could.

Through a godly believer, God gave me a spark of encouragement. I believe this spark has not only caught on, but is slowly burning away the discouragement I've been feeling. The spark came from a man I don't personally know, but admire quite a bit. On page 124 of my copy of John Piper's Don't Waste Your Life I read these words:

“For your tomorrow, I gave my today. Not just for your tomorrow on earth,
but for the countless tomorrows of your ever increasing gladness in God.”

These two sentences express what Piper believes should be every believer's attitude towards the other people on earth. I agree with him. Why would I want to spend a single “today” or even a “this minute” on feeling sorry for myself when all around me are people whose “tomorrows” are in question? While I am feeling discontent, and wishing for things I want and don't have, there are people all around me who will never, ever get the happiness they truly want because they will never hear about Jesus. And it isn't wrong to feel sad sometimes. But what about the awesome joy of being glad in God, and watching as through your influence others find that gladness for themselves?

Oh magnify the LORD with me,

and let us exalt His Name together!

These words from Psalm 34 speak the desire of my heart. And in this I find escape from discouragement and sadness. The only thing more exciting than magnifying the Lord is magnifying Him to and with others so that they see Him bigger than they ever have—and then they magnify Him on their own and with more people in turn.

This is big. It's something that will take a lifetime. And it's something I've neglected before out of laziness, apathy, or feelings of insufficiency. It's also something that I'll never quite perfect.

But what better time than now to try? I have free time, energy, youth, singleness, Christian friends, non-Christian friends, a church, a school, a workplace, a car I can drive, and some spending money. I have a Bible and a God who hears me when I pray. Astoundingly, I have the Holy Spirit inside of me who directed me to this truth and who through Christ strengthens me to do all things.

So long discouragement. I think I'm due for a few exciting, useful, encouraging todays.