Thoughts for a Discouraged Christian

I came across these lines recently which were written for a despairing Christian who wished to hide from all the world in shame over their sin and the false hope that their sin might be less if they had no chance to show it; if they were removed from temptation, as it were. I thought these lines were good and that perhaps others would like them as well.

“One must realize that such problems must be quietly faced head-on, yet with a degree of patience and much determination. One must always realize that the cleansing, changing, molding work is the Lord’s work, not our own work to push through or to despair over. No excuse for sin should ever be; I do not say that. I mean that we are not to demand of God how he should work. When we fall we must repent and acknowledge our sin. However, we often let Satan work, rather than God, by giving over to despair when we should instead remember the promise in Phil. 1:6, “that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ”. One must take their eyes off themselves and fall at the cross of Christ for renewed strength. Phil.1:6 is a humbling, hopeful, joyous promise to one who has fallen yet again: God has not given up on you yet, and never will.”

Fixed On God

“My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.”

Ps. 57:7

“…his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.”

Ps. 112:7

Ah, how blessed the one whose heart is fastened to the Lord! How trusting one is whose heart is established on God and his Word. “My heart is fixed…I will sing and give praise.” When we are fixed on Jesus we will encourage ourselves only in the Lord our God and we will never be ashamed. In the darkest circumstances we will see, not the tempest, but the Master; not the fiery furnace, but the Son of God with us; not the thorn, but the sufficiency of God’s grace; not the enemy surrounding, but the fiery chariots guarding; not the cross, but the crown. How bright is the outlook when our heart is fixed, for all we see is Jesus.

When Peter walked in the water, he was initially fixed on the Master of the wind, but he “unfixed” his heart and eyes and thereby his faith. Let us purpose to remain firmly fastened to God, to draw near to him, to put our trust in him, that we may declare all his works. (Ps. 73:28)

~Fixed on God, never to be discouraged~