“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, ……”
Proverbs 13:12
There would be hardly any soul living on this earth that would rejoice or at least be calm when the desired or planned thing doesn’t happen in life. How does one feel when he doesn’t see the very promise of God getting fulfilled in his life? No matter what how much faithful a man is to God, that very discouragement creeps in and makes his heart sick giving a way to none other than the enemy. The devil knows well that the greatest thing he can use against a believer is discouragement because a believer is never really defeated until he is defeated on the inside and this is not something that a believer will ask the other to pray for rather he will be sinking inside of him and ultimately will loose on life. That’s why God’s word we need to proclaim on ourselves all the more when this very subtle disease starts eating us up. .. Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. (Psalms 42:11) (Psalms 42:5, Joshua 1:9)
Claim God’s promises even though they look like a delusion, illusion in the present time.
Isaiah 40:31, “but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
(Deu 7:9, Phil 4:19, Isa 41:10, 46:4
Surrender yourself to God.
Psalms 55:22, “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. (Matthew 11:28, 1 Peter 5:7)
We see the characters of Bible, how they inspite of their prolonged struggles, encouraged themselves in God and became victorious at the end. Right from Abraham who was waiting on the Lord for the promise of having a heir to be fulfilled to King David, who inspite of being crowned as King, was tired of fighting with King Saul for his kingship, Elijah & Moses who were zealous for the Lord but even after showing great miracles, were disappointed to see the hardness of heart of the people they were ministering to and Jesus who although knew that He will be rejected by people, was in flesh and therefore was in deep distress before drinking that cup of persecution and suffering. When they were tempted by dejection, disappointment, how can we be spared? We are the partakers of the suffering of Christ and we have the same cup lying before us. (1 Cor. 10:13) Let’s encourage ourselves in the Lord. (James 1:2)
Testimony
Even after receiving Jesus as my Savior, there came a point in my life when everything looked a fallacy, a myth and I lost all hope in life. The scar became a deep wound. One prayer and I was revived again. After that there is no looking back and now by the grace of God, even the mountain like problems look like a heap of pebbles, easily tossed and set aside.
Prayer
Holy Spirit, be with us in our every trial and temptation in life, help us to remember and meditate on all good things in like as per Phil. 4:8 and conquer over all our fears, dejection, disappointments, failures in life. In Jesus most precious name we ask. Amen
Sol. Neha