Continuing with yesterday’s thoughts…
Isaiah 42:4, (NLT) - “He will not falter or
lose heart...”
#2 - Am I allowing anything to cause me to lose heart?
We live in a very discouraging world; in fact, I believe that discouragement is one of the number one weapons the enemy will use to try and strike at people—especially leaders.
And so…if there are things that cause me to lose heart, that take away my joy…then I MUST continually remove them from my life.
That is why I don’t read certain blogs anymore—they were joy killers. (And for the pastor out there who says you do it and it doesn’t effect you—you are full of crap, it’s ripping your joy out—STOP IT!) I have literally had to decide to not hang out with certain people because, after meeting with them I wanted to set my head on fire and have it put out with a sledgehammer.
(I know that doesn’t sound very godly…but if everyone would be honest for just a second—we all have people like that in our lives…it’s just that many don’t have the courage to admit it!)
I can’t allow discouragement to take a hold in my life—Scripture says in Ephesians 4:27 that we should not allow the devil to have a foothold…and one of his STRONGEST footholds on pastors and church leaders is discouragement.
That is why I don’t see hateful and mean spirited emails and letters…all it does is take a shot at my soul. I am open to rebuke…in love, but that never makes it way to me in an unsigned letter or anonymous email.
What needs to be removed from your life to protect you from discouragement?