Discouraged? It happens to all of us. Recent news on th national and international fronts have been discouraging.
1 Kings 19:4; But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, "It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!"
Here's the guy who was a mighty warrior for God. He'd done great things and won great victories. But on hearing that Jezebel wanted to kill him he became despondent. The government of his own country had turned against him and wanted to hunt him down like a dog and kill him. God worked great and small miracles through this guy. But here he is, setting with his head in his hand because things weren't turning out like he wanted them to. "Why wasn't I brought with honor into the King's palace on a donkey? Look what I've done. This situation is just hopeless. I give up! I don't want to serve God anymore. In fact I just want to die and get it over with. Nobody appreciates me, and they just want to be rid of me. Nothing has really changed after all I've done. I've had to live in the wilderness, eating what the ravens left over. I've had to con a widow woman out of her last meal. And for what? So that I can get murdered by a heathen witch queen. I'm tired, I don't want to do it anymore. I Quit! I'm going back to Tish and herd goats. God, get somebody else to be your prophet. I'm a failure at it, All this and nothing's changed! Nothing except that I'm bitter and discouraged and want to give up. It's not supposed to be like this. I should be getting some positive strokes here, but nooo! I'm hidng in the wilderness." Sound familiar. How about the part where he says "I'm no better than my fathers". Now there's a revelation. I'm no better than my fathers. I think that's a great revelation. I'm really just a scared guy who's no better than my fathers. Looks like it's time to realize that we are no better than our fathers (mayby actually worse in some ways). That's where we need God's grace and mercy to sustain us. Finally come to the end of ourselves, to the end of our grandiose idolization of self. I'm no better than my fathers. My fathers were just simple laborers and farm boys. I'm no better than they. Sure I'm the most educated person in my direct family line for almost 400 years. It's true, but I'm no better than they. The only thing I have going for me when it all boils down to it, is that God has saved me and that from myself. Thank God. Mayby I can show my appreciation by not screwing things up too badly in the place he has put me. I guess that'll be my prayer. God help me not to screw things up too badly where you've put me and what you've given me to do. I Jesus's Wonderful Name
