Take Heart!

"And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way."

Numbers 21:4

How true it is, that God's ways are not our ways!  The way God often uses is the way that is inefficient, long, difficult, and indirect.  Instead of bringing us directly to His desired end, He leads us on the most roundabout course.  The children of Israel were not strangers to this feeling.  They reached the very doorstep of the Promised Land and were turned back because of their unbelief.  Even with the presence of God leading the people, they often had to circumvent land they would have preferred to pass through.  They were continually having to leave the well-worn track and trail blaze.  Having to go the "hard way," the people were discouraged.  Their souls were "much discouraged because of the way."

There is no shortage of trials and difficulties we experience during our lives which give reason for discouragement.  The children of Israel thought that following God would be easy, but it wasn't.  It was hard because it was a walk of faith.  God tested and challenged the faith of His people, leading them through wilderness filled with enemies.  They became disillusioned because their focus was on the difficulty of the path and forming judgments rather than trusting looking to God for sufficiency.  As long as they questioned God's plan and direction, they found no rest or peace.  For those who have been born again, the same thing can be true.  We know in theory that "God is on the throne," but when the way becomes hard we can become discouraged.  Discouragement comes when we recognise our inability, frailty, and failures and do not believe God will redeem our circumstances for good.  Discouragement springs from a selfish perspective.

We can take heart even in disheartening circumstances when we look to God and His promises.  When Paul was tempest tossed, starving after eating nothing for two weeks, with plots of violence upon his life by guards, and no hope for survival in his strength, he took heart in what God told him.  Paul bravely addressed the soldiers, crew, and fellow prisoners in Acts 27:22-26:  "And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. ²³ For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, ²⁴ saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.' ²⁵ Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me. ²⁶ However, we must run aground on a certain island."  God had a plan that involved mortal danger, starvation, storms, huge financial loss, even running aground and being shipwrecked!  In the end, God would deliver all the soldiers, crew, and prisoners from their stricken vessel.  God used this situation to strengthen Paul's faith in the midst of a horrible ordeal and glorify His name.  The word God spoke to Paul came to pass, and the everlasting Word He has spoken to us will no doubt all come to pass.

In Luke 18, Jesus told the Parable of the Unjust Judge to teach people to pray and not lose heart.  This is something we must learn because it is not our natural tendency!  I cannot convey this important lesson better than Paul illustrated in 2 Corinthians 4:7-18:  "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. ⁸ We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed-- ¹⁰ always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. ¹¹ For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. ¹² So then death is working in us, but life in you. ¹³ And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak, ¹⁴ knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. ¹⁵ For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. ¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, ¹⁸ while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

If we look upon our trials or difficulties as man sees, we will lose heart.  Even as Christians filled with the indwelling Spirit of God we will faint and be discouraged unless our inward man is renewed by faith in God's Word day by day.  We are unwise to drift on the undercurrents of discouragement.  This will always cause us to veer far off course and lose sight of God and the ultimate destination He desires for us:  that we would be transformed, refined, and fashioned into the image of Jesus Christ!  Dig in those oars and pull!  PULL!  Invite God's Word to establish your proper course, even your thoughts, attitudes, and desires.  Let the mind which was in Christ be also in you, who humbled Himself and was made of no reputation.  Stay on course, keep the faith, and finish with joy.  God can bring encouragement and strength even from disheartening circumstances.  Won't you trust Him today?