Discouragement seems to want to raise its head over and over. It wants to pull me into a ditch and hold me there. Don't you find yourself there at times? Things seem to pound on you day by day. I have received comments about time for a change in our pulpit or you've been here too long. (Which I have prayed about that the Lord open the doors if that's His will! No doors opened!!!) People complain about songs that are led they don't like or disagree with. We need better teachers in our Bible studies or simply complain about something. I recently heard one say they are so tired of loving others and get no love in return! Today, I'm not discouraged at all but this is something I have recently come through. Please, I'm not looking for any sympathy but using this to teach us all a lesson.
It seems there are those in the body of Christ that are there to discourage! Nothing is right in their eyes. They have complained so long about so many varied things that complaining is just part of who they are. And each time they speak, they start with, ""I don't want to be negative here!" But that's exactly what they want to be. They don't know how to build up the body in love. They only know how to discourage the sincere, humble servants of Jesus that something is being done they just don't like and rather speak to the Lord with a good attitude of thanksgiving, they speak to the servants with an attitude of complaint! Love is out the window.
It's been around since the beginning. Paul addressed it in I Cor. 10, warning the brethren at Corinth about what happened to the grumblers in the days of Moses. They were destroyed by the destroyer because they craved evil things (10:6). Grumbling, complaining and disputing over things are the very tools the devil uses to divide Christ! They not only divide but prove to the world we aren't the children of God (Phil. 2:14-15). It's easy to grumble and complain! It takes no effort but what about building up the body in love? What if we would just listen to the Lord, rally around the unity of the faith and grow up into Christ? Isn't that what would build us up in love? The reason we have those complainers, those fault finders, those grumblers Paul says is because those who do such have not matured spiritually (Eph. 4:13).
Let's build! We have everything to gain because our lives are headed to greater things in Christ. I can't wait to see what it is like in the presence of God! My mind cannot comprehend it but one things I am certain of, there will be no discouragement!!! Now that's something to look forward to.
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