HOW TO MEET DISCOURAGEMENTS

HOW TO MEET DISCOURAGEMENTS
"Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.'-- 2Co:4v17-18.

NOTICE THE marvelous antithesis of this chapter: 
light and darkness; life and death; pressure, perplexity, pursuit, and persecution; but side by side, victory, elastic hope, and the brightness of Christian faith. The decay of the outward man and the renewal of the inward; the light affliction and the weight of glory; the brief moment of earth's pilgrimage contrasted with the eternity of reality and bliss.

It is very important that we should not miss the mighty blessing which is within the reach of every troubled soul. Of course it is quite possible to sit down before troubles and afflictions, hopeless and despairing, confessing that we are over-powered and defeated; it is also possible to be hard and stoical, bearing adversity because we cannot help or avoid it, but the highest Christian way is to be thankful that the earthen vessel is breaking if only the torch will shine out; to be content that the dying of Jesus should be borne about in our mortal body, if only His life will thereby become manifest.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go; The rivers of grief shall not thee overflow; For I will be with thee in trouble to bless; And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

PRAYER
Fix my heart, O Lord, on Thyself, that amid the changes and chances of this mortal life I may be kept steadfast and unmoveable and ever abounding in Thy work. AMEN.

What makes Mordecai and Esther great leaders is that they accept their positions of authority that God, in his favor and grace, gave them. What authority do you have? Here's what God wants you to do: humbly accept it, because it's not about you or your fear of failure, but about people and an opportunity to help them. Sometimes the people who feel the least qualified for leadership are the most qualified because they have the first prerequisite, which is humility. This clip is excerpted from the sermon "Jesus Is a Better Missionary," part 9 of the sermon series Esther: God's Perfect Work through Imperfect People. It was preached by Pastor Mark Driscoll out of Esther 8:1--17 at Mars Hill Downtown Bellevue and released online on November 11. Watch the full sermon here: http://jesus.to/TFvGpv Category Education Licence Creative Commons Attribution licence (reuse allowed)