Don’t Get Discouraged!
November 7 2010
Motivational posters — posters with a beautiful picture and an inspirational saying – have become popular. Some of you may have one or two – and may hang them in your office or some other prominent place where you can see them and be inspired by them.
What you may not know is that a company has put out some de-motivational posters. Some of these say things like:
“It could be that the purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others.”
“In the battle between you and the world, bet on the world. “
“The harder you try, the dumber you look.”
“If at first you don’t succeed, it could be that losing is just your style.”
“It’s always darkest just before it goes pitch dark.”
We laugh at those because all of us know what discouragement feels like – don’t we? Sometimes it seems that we spend more time discouraged than we do encouraged.
It’s easy to get discouraged – isn’t it?
We look at the economy and can easily get discouraged. We read the newspaper and can easily get discouraged. We drive around our community and see houses falling in – wonder if folks live in them and how they survive – and can easily get discouraged. We drive through downtown Florence and see the empty buildings and the people standing around – realize that some of them have no place to go and nothing to eat – and can easily get discouraged. We look at some of the situations in our lives – maybe our marriages are not what we want them to be or our jobs not as secure as we would like – and can easily get discouraged.
Discouragement can creep up on us if we are not careful.
The state of the world – the state of the nation – the state of the community – the state of our lives – and even the state of the Church – can lead us to discouragement.
It can indeed be discouraging.
We may wonder what we can do to improve the state of our world – the state of our nation – the state of our lives – and the state of our Church. And when we don’t find many answers – well – it can be discouraging.
So what do we do?
I am not sure that discouragement is the response God wants us to make to the situations around us – even the situation we find ourselves in as a Church.
In fact – let me correct that.
I am sure that discouragement is not the response God wants us to make to the situations around us – especially the situation we find ourselves in as a Church.
So – what do we do?
Instead of getting discouraged, I believe we need to focus on God – on His promise – and on His word.
Even in times that can lead us to discouragement, God says to us:
Don’t get discouraged!
But when times seem to be so discouraging, how can keep from becoming discouraged?
In our scripture passage for today – Haggai 2:1-9 — the people of Israel faced very discouraging times. The time period the book of Haggai depicts is the 6th century BC. After spending 70 years in exile and away from their homeland, the people have finally returned to Jerusalem. The problem they faced was that seventy years earlier the Babylonians had completely destroyed the city of Jerusalem and had torn down the Temple that King Solomon had built. So – those returning from Babylon rebuild the walls of Jerusalem under the leadership of Nehemiah, and they lay the foundation to build a new temple under the leadership of Ezra. But — after 18 years — there was no progress on rebuilding the temple and the people were very discouraged.
Would they ever get the Temple built?
Would they ever see their new great Temple standing proudly over the city of Jerusalem?
These were discouraging times indeed.
So – what does God do?
God raised up a prophet named Haggai to challenge the people — call them out of their discouragement – and give them an encouraging vision of God’s will for them – and for the Temple.
As we look at God’s message to the returning exiles who were discouraged about the Temple, we are going to see God’s message to us also.
We’ll see the cause of discouragement, the solution to discouragement, and the result of pressing on despite discouragement.
So – first – the cause of discouragement.
In Haggai 2:1-3 we learn that discouragement might come when it seems that – no mater what we do – it’s not enough to turn our situation around.
(Read Haggai 2:1-3)
As insignificant as it may seem, the date Haggai gave this message is very important. The twenty-first day of the seventh month in Israel’s calendar was the last day of the week long celebration of the Jewish feast of Tabernacles. The reason this day is so significant is because on this exact day 430 years earlier King Solomon had dedicated the first Temple to God. Solomon’s temple was a magnificent masterpiece of architecture and ornamentation, filled with the most precious metals, gems and craftsmanship from around the ancient world. As the people of Haggai’s generation looked at this second temple they were building, it looked like nothing in comparison to Solomon’s temple.
Not only did the temple they were building look insignificant, but the country of Israel seemed insignificant in Haggai’s time when compared to how it was in the time of Solomon. Solomon built the first temple during the golden age of Israel’s history. Israel’s borders extended further then they’d ever extended before and further than they have ever since. During this golden age, people came from the other nations to see Israel’s greatness, to hear King Solomon’s wisdom, to witness for themselves the beauty and grandeur of Solomon’s temple. But in Haggai’s generation, Israel was occupied territory. Even though they were back in their homeland, they were servants of the Persian empire. Their economy was struggling, and the second temple they were building seemed as pitiful in comparison to Solomon’s temple as their country now seemed in comparison to how it had been in Solomon’s time. Most of the people must have felt that this second temple would never match the glory and greatness of the first temple, and their country would never reach it’s former glory, either. They must have felt like their contribution to rebuilding this temple and restoring their country was insignificant.
We can identify with their feelings, can’t we?
Sometimes we might work hard to try to improve our lives – or our community – or our Church — but it may seem that our efforts are pointless and futile.
Imagine a person who decides they want to make a difference in their community and they begin helping folks in need. They feel this is what God has called them to do – and for a while feel good about the number of folks they are helping. But before long they become more and more aware that the needs far outweigh their ability to help – and they wonder if their small actions really make a difference. It can be discouraging.
Or imagine a Church member who sees that people are not coming to Church like they used to – and decides to call and visit those who have not been coming in a while – only to get vague answers and empty promises, but not results. They may wonder if their small actions can make a difference. It can be discouraging.
Most of us know what it feels like to try to make a difference, to try to do things that can change situations, to try to make a difference in the Church, only to be met with discouragement. I’m sure all of you here today have tried to make a difference – or would – if you just knew what to do! A lot of times this discouragement stems from the fact that what we’re doing appears to be insignificant and not making a difference.
That’s how the folks trying to rebuild the Temple and the country of Israel must have felt also.
But God – through Haggai – had a solution for the people who felt discouraged – a solution that God offers us also – and that’s the second point we see here in Haggai 2.
The second thing we see in this passage is the solution to discouragement (Read Haggai 2:4-5)
Here in verses 4-5 we learn that we can remain focused on God’s will – even in the midst of discouragement — by remembering God’s promises.
The people of Israel needed to be reminded of God’s promises – so in addition to commanding them to be strong, to keep building, and to refuse to cave in to fear, Haggai reminds them of the promises of God.
Haggai reminds them that God had promised to be with them.
God says, “I am with you” about 18 different times in the Bible. Every time God says he’s with a person, that message comes at a critical point in a person’s life, a time when that person needs to hear a word of assurance from God. This phrase means more than God is present, because God is already personally present everywhere. For God to say, “I am with you,” means God is on our side in what we’re doing, that He’s our advocate, that He’s our ally.
God also reminds the Israelites struggling to rebuild their land and their Temple of the covenant relationship He has entered into with Israel.
“This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt” (v. 5a)
God says through Haggai.
When God entered into a covenant relationship with the nation of Israel, God pledged to be Israel’s protector and provider, to be Israel’s defender and guardian. So even though they were discouraged, they needed to remember God’s covenant with them.
Finally Haggai reminds them that God’s Spirit is at work among them. Haggai reminds them that God’s Spirit is guiding them, strengthening them, leading them, and empowering them.
Now – we’re not the people of Israel and we are not under the covenant God made with Israel, but God has given us, as Christians, a much greater promise.
God promises us that He is with us as well. One of Jesus’ titles is Emmanuel, which means God is with us. When He went back into heaven Jesus promised that He was going to be with us to the very end of the age (Matt 28:20). In fact, Jesus promised His disciples – and those of us who believe in Him — that He will never leave us or forsake us, that He’s on our side forever, no matter what.
In times of discouragement, we will do well to remember that.
God has also entered into a covenant relationship with us. Christians aren’t under the covenant God made with Israel, but we are under the New Covenant – which is a much better covenant than the one God made with the people of Israel. In this New Covenant, we’re assured that all our sins are forgiven through Christ’s death on the cross. We’re given assurance that God is our provider, and that He will meet our needs. When we’re discouraged, we do well to remember this as well.
And — God’s Holy Spirit isn’t just among us as Christians, but He actually lives inside of us. As Christians today, the Holy Spirit lives inside of us and can lead us and guide us. We can be sure that whenever God’s Spirit guides us, no matter how scary it might seem, God will empower us to walk that path with joy and with courage.
We can also be sure that God is with us – guiding us – and blessing us – here and now – just as He has in the past.
Are you discouraged today?
Are you discouraged about something in your life – or things you see in the world – or things you see in the community – or the situation you see us in as a Church?
God wants you to remember His promises today. You can rely on His promises, because they are rock solid. God has never once broken a promise, and He never will. When you’re discouraged because it feels like your efforts are insignificant, remember the promises of God.
So – we’ve seen the cause of discouragement and God’s solution for discouragement – but what happens when we stay focused on God’s promises instead of letting our discouragement get the best of us?
Haggai 2:6-9 tells us what happens when we stay focused on the promises of God. (Read Haggai 2:6-9)
When we stay focused on the promises of God, especially in the midst of discouragement, God uses us beyond our limits.
God is making a prediction about the future. At some point in the future God says that he’s going to shake things up. He likens what He’s planning on doing with what He did when he brought Israel out of Egypt. Just like the heavens and earth shook when God worked His miracles to release Israel from their Egyptian slavery, so in a little while, God says He will shake things up again.
The “desired of nations” mentioned in verse 7 can certainly be a veiled prophecy about the future coming of Jesus – for Jesus Christ is the one all the nations of the world inwardly yearn for when they yearn for peace. Although they may not know Jesus is who they’re yearning for, ultimately all people have a void in their hearts that only Christ can fill.
God promises glory to the folks who are struggling with despair in Haggai’s day.
He promises that the glory of this second temple they are building will eclipse the glory of Solomon’s first temple. God also promises that within this place He would grant peace. Now the Hebrew word “peace” here is the word shalom — the Old Testament equivalent to the New Testament term “salvation.” Shalom is more than an ending of hostility – it is restoration to completeness and wholeness, forgiveness of sins, healing of brokenness, and reconciliation with people.
The Temple the people in Haggai’s day were building and would finally complete was indeed more glorious than Solomon’s Temple – for it was the Temple God Himself would visit and teach in the person Jesus Christ. It would the Temple that would “grant peace” as Jesus would proclaim God’s will for salvation, forgiveness of sins, and reconciliation with His people.
So even though this small beginning of a Temple looked like nothing to those who let themselves be discouraged by the slow process of building it, God had big plans for it in the future. God saw what the people couldn’t see – the glorious future He had in store for what they were doing – and He gave them a glimpse of what’s to come. This glimpse was just enough to encourage them, just enough to fuel their faith to persevere. This window into the future was designed to help them believe that God will use and bless the Temple they were building.
Friends — when we stay focused on God’s promises in the midst of our discouragement, God blesses us and uses our efforts far beyond what we can do. We may live to see how God accomplishes His purposes through what we do when we stay faithful to His work and we may not – but the truth is that – if we remain faithful to God and what He calls us to do through discouraging times, He will bless us.
The truth is that – if we remain faithful to God – seek God’s will for our lives – and strive to live in His ways – even in the most discouraging times – He will bless us.
The truth is that – if we remain faithful to God’s work and strive to do His will in the community – reaching out to others with His love and telling them about how He can make a difference in their lives – especially when it is easy to get discouraged and it seems that our efforts are futile – He will bless us.
And – yes – the truth is that – if we – as a Church – remain faithful to being the Church God has called us to be – faithfully loving and serving God – loving and serving others – and making disciples for Christ –faithfully reaching out into the community with God’s love when it is so easy to get discouraged and begin to despair and believe that we need to focus on ourselves and our problems – God will bless us.
God’s message to the Israelites who were becoming discouraged in their efforts to rebuild their country and the Temple was to be faithful – and their efforts would be blessed.
That’s God’s message to us also.
The bottom line for us is that – if we will remain faithful to being the people God calls us to be – and not stop when we get discouraged – God will bless us.
God likes taking a Temple that seems pathetic in comparison to the first temple and blessing those who continue to build it – even when they are discouraged – because it’s in the times of our discouragement that His power and glory can shine though – if we will remain faithful.
God likes taking us when we feel like giving up and blessing our efforts to be His people – because it’s in our times of discouragement that His power and glory can shine through – if we will remain faithful.
Feel discouraged in your efforts to live the life God calls you to live?
Remain faithful! Don’t give up! Pray and seek God’s will – then love and serve God – love and serve others –make disciples for Christ! God will bless you!
Feel discouraged in your efforts to make a difference for God in the community and the world?
Remain faithful! Don’t give up! Pray and seek God’s will – then love and serve God – love and serve others –make disciples for Christ! God will bless you!
When we feel discouraged about the Church and it’s future – we need to:
Remain faithful! Not give up! Pray and seek God’s will – then love and serve God – love and serve others –make disciples for Christ! God will bless us!
We need to focus on God’s will and God’s blessings –
We need to not get discouraged! Amen
