“Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah, and frightened them from build and hired counselors against them to frustrate their counsel…”
(Ezra 4:4-5)
When the remnant of Judah returned from captivity, all they wanted to do was build. Build the temple, build the city, build a nation. So how did the devil thwart their plans so quickly when they arrived back in the land?
Discouragement, fear, and frustration. These are Satan’s tools to stop a faithful soul from fulfilling their life’s work.
Discouragement is the belief that you can’t and won’t. When we are discouraged, we tell ourselves it won’t ever happen and we aren’t good enough to make it happen. Discouragement is all around you, and that’s exactly why you need encouragers in your life to remind you that you have been made valuable by the Lamb. Jesus won’t give you a task you can’t do.
Fear is the concern over negative consequences. If we are successful, what will it cost? Will I lose friends? Will I suffer? Will I miss out on the fun of life if I choose faith and devotion to Christ. Fear paralyzes us from choosing good consequences because we are always worried about the worst-case scenario. Don’t let fear be your decision maker.
Frustration is caused by setbacks. When what we want takes longer than expected, we get frustrated and are prone to give up. The problem is that everything worth doing will have setbacks and failures along the way. Quitting a bad habit often involves relapses. Learning a new skill typically takes longer than usual. Growing in Christ is no different – you will be frustrated and you will face setbacks – it will just be worth the frustration.
Don’t let the discouragement of the world, the fear of man, or the frustration of trials stop you from walking by faith. The journey is worth it and the reward awaits.
Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites