An Antidote for Discouragement

Feeling a bit downcast?  Misunderstood?  Have you been taken advantage of? 

Then, friend, ponder this:

"For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." Hebrews 12:3

The word endured (hypomenō) means to stand strong and bravely endure ill treatments.  God in the flesh patiently endured the unbelief, mockery, and physical abuse heaped upon him by depraved man.  Matthew Henry says: "though he could easily have both confuted and confounded them, and sometimes gave them a specimen of his power, yet he endured their evil manners with great patience."

Contradiction (antilogia) is also defined as opposition or rebellion.  How did dare they deny the Savior? Ignore His commands?  Fall asleep during prayer?  But haven't we been guilty of this and so much more?

• When we feel all alone in our desire to stand for truth,  remember the painful loneliness Jesus experienced when separated from God thanks to our sins. 
• When we feel overly used thanks to the needy people we minister to, remember Jesus had thousands following Him merely to see another food miracle.
• When family members scoff at your God-centered goals, remember Jesus had siblings who did not believe He was the Son of God.
• When those we mentor do not appreciate the hours of time we have invested into their lives and then fall by the wayside, remember that every one of the disciples forsook Jesus for a time. 
• When our physical pain becomes more than we can bear, think of the pain Jesus received as His body was shredded and ripped apart.  
• When unbelievers "test" you with difficult questions, remember the many tricky questions the hypocritical religious leaders asked of Jesus.
• When falsely accused of wrongdoing, think of the falsehoods spoken against the only perfect Man, our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Our Savior does not ask us to experience a trial that exceeds the pain He endured.  Christian, do not be discouraged.  Jesus Christ is our Hope.