People try to deal with spiritual discouragement in many WRONG WAYS. Many plunge themselves into other things that they think will bring them fulfillment: entertainment, sports, travel, or their careers. Tragically, some turn to drugs or alcohol or adultery. All these things only dig deeper into discouragement. A few become SO DISCOURAGED that they take their own lives. About 2.5 million people end their lives because of discouragement in the United States annually.
In (Ezra 4:4) we read, “Then the people of the land DISCOURAGED THE PEOPLE of Judah and frightened them from building.” The work on rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem stopped for about 16 years. According to (Haggai 1:4-9), the people’s focus shifted to building THEIR OWN HOUSES, and they NEGLECTED BUILDING GOD’S HOUSE. If the subject came up, they responded, “We tried that. It didn’t work!”
How could this dismal situation be reversed? How could the Lord’s people PUT THEIR DISCOURAGEMENT BEHIND THEM so that they could finish the task of rebuilding the temple? To turn things around, the Lord raised up two prophets, Haggai, and Zechariah, who spoke to the people in the name of the God of Israel (Ezra 5:1). Under the renewed leadership of Zerubbabel and Jeshua, the people began to rebuild and despite further opposition, the work was FINISHED IN A LITTLE OVER FOUR YEARS. So, our chapter gives us some clues on how to OVERCOME discouragement in our work for the Lord: GET INTO THE WORD OF GOD!
“ALL SCRIPTURE is given by inspiration of God (theopneustos: God’s breath), and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God MAY BE COMPLETE, THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17) “…they who WAIT (qâvâh: to bind together, to become entangled with, this happens as we get God’s word in us) for the Lord shall RENEW their strength; they shall MOUNT UP with wings like eagles; they shall RUN and not be weary; they shall WALK and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham