Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Ten Truths When I Am Discouraged

It has been a while, (too long - sorry Matt) since my last post. Here is something that I trust will be helpful to you. I use this list to preach to my own heart and it has been to me over the years:

1. I remind myself of the reality of justification - that I am completely right with God because of Christ

2. I remember that justification had nothing to do with my ability. It was entirely dependent on God’s gracious mercy and Christ’s obedience.

3. I need to embrace the inverted values of the Bible – the last shall be first and the greatest are servants.

4. I remember that my definition of success is warped by my depravity. I do not see life as clearly as I think I do.

5. I fan into flame my love for Christ so that it eclipses all other loves and conquers all other fears.

6. I remind myself that I need to be careful not to judge things before the time. I must be tentative in my assessments.

7. I evaluate my intake of the Word and my breathing of prayer to see if my discouragement is really a symptom of a lack of fellowship with God.

8. I choose to view my discouragement a handmaid for repentance and allow it to draw me closer to God.

9. I rehearse all these things and bank my life on them regardless of how I feel.

10. I need to do the normal things that God lays before me today by faith, not waiting until I feel encouraged.

6 comments:

Pastor Timothy said...

Did you find that list from somewhere or did you write that up for yourself to review?

Mark Vroegop said...

It is a cutting from my personal journal.

Matt Brown said...

Thanks for this list, Mark. It's been very helpful.

Matt Brown said...

Dude. Don't make me threaten to come up to Holland and throttle you for not blogging more frequently. I'm not the threatening kind.

Also, I saw the picture of you and Sarah and the kids on your church website. Nice. Even with your advancing age, your legs are still attractive.

Matt Brown said...

I see this blog has died a horrible death. I shall sit in sackcloth and ashes.

Anonymous said...

Holy Ghost baptizm feels like a body your perfect size coming in, I have it