A Living Faith that Overcomes the Temptation of Discouragement
This part 4 of a 5-part series. For previous posts, click the following: part 1; part 2; part 3.
I find myself being one of the few middle-aged persons I know who looks back with fondness on his junior high years. Most people say that they would never want to repeat junior high again. But it’s easy for me to remember a time when I could play soccer and basketball and lifeguard and ride my bike up steep hills. I find myself wishing that I could reclaim the physical abilities I so took for granted during the wonderful years of my childhood. It’s easy to get discouraged, comparing yourself to others and looking at the long, long road ahead on this earth, having been cut down low in comparison to what others can enjoy and do.
Discouragement can be one of the toughest of the three common temptations that I believe are categorized by James in the following verses:
- Disgust: Why me? I don’t understand… Should I or should I not rest in God and His wisdom by faith when I don’t understand? (James 1:5-8)
- Discouragement: Look at my circumstances… I am so lowly compared to others… (James 1:9-12)
- Doubting God: What are you doing to me? Are you a good God? (James 1:13-18)
Responding with an attitude of Joy as you face overwhelming trials will only be possible by a correct perspective of your faith in God. And that means living out that faith to overcome these temptations.
Let’s look out how to live out this command while overcoming the temptation of discouragement.
“Let the brother of low degree…but the rich”: his status is lowly because his circumstances are lowly; in contrast to the ease of life that the rich experience.
“The fading away of the grass”: our life experiences and circumstances (whether good or bad, rich or lowly) all fade away as the grass. No matter what circumstances you find yourself in, your circumstances are short-lived. Don’t focus on these short-lived circumstances.
“Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted”: focus on your high position in Christ, your eternal destiny and reward. Here we return to the theme of joy—delight and satisfaction that is found in eternity (see 2 Cor 4:16–18). Perhaps the rich being made low brings about a wake-up call not to live for the things of this fleeting world. And they can rejoice in God that He made them low so that they would live for Him.
“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation”: This recaps James’ explanation in James 1:3–4 on God’s purpose for our trials: to test our faith. The person who perseveres in the faith proves that he loves God and he receives the crown, which is eternal life (not earning salvation, but evidencing that salvation was genuine through a persevering faith).
How can you live out a faith that delights in God? The antidote to discouragement is to focus on your high exaltation in Christ and on eternal rewards for tested, persevering faith rather than living for the passing things of this world.
In the next post we’ll look at how to overcome the last temptation—doubting God.
Kevin Collins has served as a junior high youth leader in Michigan, a missionary in Singapore, a Christian School teacher in Utah, and a Bible writer for the BJU Press. He currently works for American Church Group of South Carolina.
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