Discouraged

 He did not see me watching from afar. His countenance betrayed the turmoil of his soul. I had to find out what troubled this man. I pulled up a seat and started a conversation. At first, he seemed reluctant to open up. In time, he let his troubled heart spill out like a toppled glass filled with milk. Pain gushed out.

The man suffered from deep discouragement. He laid out of a long list of trials and trouble. He battled health issues he could not overcome. He felt overworked, under compensated and under appreciated. He faced multiple financial trials. He confessed to feeling like he failed his family because he could not provide for them like he felt he should. Things were not going well for him at work. Everywhere he looked he felt surrounded by hopelessness. 

The man confessed to being born again and a devoted follower of Jesus. He went on to confess that he often felt discouraged because it did not seem that Jesus helped him in all the trials he faced. He said he prayed about these things so much he did not have another prayer to pray. 

I listened intently. I had to admit that many of his questions and the sources of his discouragement were not easily answered. From my vantage point it seemed the man was devout, not perfect, but devout. He knew the word of God. He said he prayed. Many of the trials only seemed to worsen after decades of praying. He had a church home where he said he served actively. He even taught a Bible study. Few people knew his private pain. 

Still he was deeply discouraged. The weight of that despondency sank on him like an oppressive weight. I thought I saw his eyes moisten as we talked. He fought back tears but I could tell he was on the verge of breaking down. This was not a time for Sunday school answers, worn out cliches, or happy talk. This discouraged brother needed some hope. Not a motivational talk. Not a sermon. Just words of truth filled with the hope that only God can give. 

I sat silently in prayer for help and contemplation before speaking. What could I say? Pray more. Read your Bible more. Trust God more. All of those things may have been true, but those were not what this discouraged disciple needed. I prayed some more waiting on God to reveal anything that would help this wounded warrior. 

In a flash of inspiration I muttered, "Jesus gets you. He got discouraged also." I recounted multiple times when the disciples were filled with unbelief, missed out on learning opportunities, could not minister to people effectively, and when the crowds doubted Him. I recalled when Jesus prayed sweating blood in the Garden of Gethsemane. He asked God if it were possible to the let the cup pass from Him." 

Think on that for a moment. Jesus left heaven coming in the form of a baby. He lived perfectly. Never a defiant act as a child. Never a bad attitude. Never a temper tantrum. Not one act of disobedience. He did what He was supposed to do every time He was supposed to do it. He loved people nobody else would love. He worked in His public ministry to help people. He prayed fervently. He worked tirelessly to heal late into the nights. He traveled widely so more people could hear His good news. He broke down cultural customs. He defied the religious authorities. He faced repeated showdowns with the demon possessed. He poured His life into a dozen men. One was about to betray Him and the other eleven would abandon Him. And it all came down to facing the fact of the crucifixion. Jesus gets being discouraged. IF POSSIBLE LET THIS CUP PASS FROM ME.

Only Jesus did not dwell there. He may have entertained it briefly, but He chose to believe in God preferred path. NEVERTHELESS NOT MY WILL BUT YOUR WILL BE DONE! Some of the greatest roads of blessings lead down God's preferred paths of pain. Ask Moses. Ask David. Ask Elijah. Ask Job. Ask Jeremiah. Ask Jesus. Ask the disciples. Ask Paul. 

We all may grow discouraged from time to time. That does not mean that we have to stay there. We can choose joy. We can choose faith. We can choose perseverance. We can choose hope. All of those things God readily supplies amply for those who want and need it. 

I cannot tell you that discouraged brother walked away completely free. I do think he walked away with a different perspective. Jesus can replace discourage with His courage. His courage is enough to get us through to victory.