September 17, 2021
Discouraged for a good reason. What a long stretch of time this has all been. Are you feeling weary? Even weepy? Sad about the state of our world? Let’s talk about that.
DISCOURAGED FOR A GOOD REASON
The pandemic, remembering 9/11, our nation so divided, and a world in conflict. Those are good reasons, alright.
Of course we are hopeful (again) that the pandemic is slowing. The loss of life is still tragic.
GrandDaddy and I took some time to watch a few commemorative specials reflecting on the events of 9/11. It’s hard to believe 20 years have passed.
In watching those films, we were moved to tears remembering the turning to God we witnessed as our stunned nation reacted following the attacks.
We wept silently together as we saw ordinary people pray in public, openly and unashamed. We watched people serve, citizens and first responders, shoulder to shoulder for days on end.
Officials, leaders, and countless public figures bowed their heads.
Entertainers penned songs about faith and redemption, about battles and victories, and audiences flocked to join in.
We loved God, our country, and each other.
Remember that?
Yet over these 20 years, a new generation has been born and enters adult life without first-hand knowledge of that event.
DISCOURAGED ABOUT THE NEXT GENERATION
Like each generation before them, they will emerge from their college cocoons bursting with just-discovered enlightenment that escaped their predecessors, ready to change the world.
Honestly, it’s hard not to give it a weary eye roll and look away.
Just wait, we say. For real life to season them with truth.
But they are not waiting. They are rushing ahead, inspired by Birkenstocked lecture-hall strangers to go forth. To jump off the edge of childhood and make a verb out of adult (their first mission). They will leap right over mortgages and car payments, and skip directly to recycling and socialist idealism.
No, they are not waiting.
But there is waiting being done.
Who is waiting for those bright-eyed, polyester-robed teams of graduates, to catch their hearts in those tossed mortarboards and lure their dangling tassels on the breeze toward the tree of knowledge of good and evil?
You know who.
You do.
We Should Pray.
Yes, we need to pray. Always. We need to pray for our nation and for our leaders. We need to pray for ourselves.
But please add this: Pray for the next generation, that God ‘s call is louder than the enemy’s call. Pray that hunger for God’s wisdom stirs their appetite. Pray that you respond in your encounters with grace and love.
Pray that we don’t roll our eyes and turn away.
Pray.
Tell God how much we need Him right this minute.
PRIDE VS DISCOURAGEMENT
We have been warned that pride is the vehicle that leads us away from our dependence on God.
Certainly defeat and desperation caused us to cling to Him in the ash-covered days following the attacks on our nation.
There was untold discouragement, even misery. Something we didn’t seek.
No, given a choice we would certainly have selected something different. Instead, it was thrust upon us.
Knowing how that felt…
Which car will young adults jump into? Shiny success? Or the dump truck of discouragement?
I’ll tell you where my money is. I’m betting they seek the way of success. Why? Because we all do. We want validation, worth, and success.
If you’re short on it, self-love is taught everywhere, to enhance the focus on “getting yours.”
Not discouragement. They wouldn’t select that. Who would?
Those Birkenstocked lecture-hall strangers have spent years whipping up football frenzies, parent-free parties, and a future of fortune. Those graduates are going for success.
The indoctrination that set their course is well hidden in the shadows. They have been told the ideas are their own.
They will save the earth. They will shun hard work, capitalism, and incentives. They will rely on the fervent youth-fed green energy, the endless lava of the new and better thinking.
Like the generations before them, they will dress the same to be different, and seek living arrangements that are modern and maverick. And the world will be better, right?
Why Be Discouraged For a Good Reason?
Because we did this ourselves.
Every generation did.
We outsmarted our parents, launched into the world with our raw idealistic dreams, and lost a little more ground for the kingdom.
And each generation is under the improved tutelage of a new and better system — more thorough, more exclusive, more persuasive.
Want an example? Electronics. A screen that captures eyes, ears, hands, and necks. A tutor that serves knowledge deep into the night.
Picture this: Those hypnotic pre-sleep hours of our young are filled with messages of mission that find a solid home.
Brilliant, the methods. All that so-called wisdom is channeled directly to them through an institution, arriving right into the earbuds. This eliminates the need for input from other generations, and certainly not from the Church, for goodness’ sake.
What about The Faithful?
Before you take exception, I know every graduate does not fit this narrative. Every educator does not fit this narrative.
Make no mistake, I personally know this.
The “lostness” is not universal. Many do graduate with a Biblical worldview and go on to truly change human lives with the gospel.
But know this: The believing students see it even more clearly than the rest of us do. After all, they spent four years or more side by side with these lost sheep.
Overwhelmed? Sure. Why wouldn’t we be? It’s beyond our comprehension, beyond our ability. It’s lost, ruined, a train headed to the wrong destination.
Like Tower 1 and Tower 2.
Remember Helplessness.
What could we do about the ruin? The destruction? We were helpless.
Our job was not to raise the fallen towers. Our job was to turn to God.
When we praise God, He raises things up.
Kneel in your own heart and lift up this next generation to Him, lift up our leaders and our country to Him. Tell God we need Him.
Take five minutes, just five minutes, to remember the wreckage and the death. Humans running for their lives, covered with ashes of destruction. Remember a nation paralyzed by fear, anger, and helplessness. Yes, helplessness.
Be helpless before a Holy God, acknowledge your dependence on him, acknowledge Christ, who bought our pardon with his death.
And pray that way.
That’s our first job.
Along with showing grace and love to those who are lost.
Along with learning what the Bible really says.
Along with not rolling our eyes.
My life has been filled with distractions that I accept readily. It’s time for me to take control of the discipline of prayer. I want God to change my heart, to enable me to turn more fully toward the one who calls me.
Has that ever happened to you? More time on tasks, less time on prayer? It’s discouraging, but it’s also embarrassing. ( Maybe it wouldn’t be if I didn’t say it online like this. 🤔 )
Amnesty…
One more thing: If you’re scared because you’ve been absent without an excuse, just walk in. You’re welcome back. Amnesty isn’t a human invention. God’s been doing it a long time.
Turn Is A Verb
Turning our hearts toward God. What does that mean, exactly?
It’s a bigger word than you think: Turning.
I received an e-mail with the following post from a blogger that I follow. This arrived after I had taken note of the less-familiar holidays and their explanations over these weeks. I confess, I usually skip right over them.
Marissa discusses Rosh Hashanah, Shabbat Shuvah, 10 Days of Awe, and Yom Kippur. Her explanations are enlightening and I found myself digging in to “turning” in the many ways she points out Scripture teaches us.
Take a look if you want, because that’s the gift I’m giving you this week: A Day of Return and Repentance from Like An Anchor.
Discouraged For A Good Reason
Does it seem unbelievable that God would allow unhappiness to drive us to himself? It’s a concept many struggle with.
But Scripture tells it plainly. God’s desire is us.
And he does prepare our hearts to long for him, even with sadness and destruction.
He calls to us in countless ways, but like those who hop giddily on the success bus, we have forgotten our Father.
We don’t hear him calling. We will call him later when it’s less busy. We forgot the code words. We set aside the letter we received. We missed the ringtones.
He will not wait patiently forever.
We want salvation for our nation, but it must come through single hearts. Persons who turn to God.
If you don’t want to be punished with the whole class, then don’t count on being saved with the whole class.
- You believe.
- You begin the relationship with Christ.
- You look around and testify to the power of our God.
- You.
That’s what I’m telling my mirror.
I have not visited the World Trade Center Memorial. It is possible after the pandemic becomes history I will want to do that. For now, reading about the memorial is moving to me.
I must not forget what God has done in my life, and in the lives around me.
You’re here, and I love you for that. I mean it. When I invited you, it was to encourage. And sometimes I’m afraid when our time is up you’re less encouraged than when you arrived. Thanks for hearing my struggles.
Have you got a recent graduate that you love?
Remember this:
The next few years will be a challenge — they will have to separate myth from truth. Pray that truth comes to them in countless ways.
If you want to take a look at Prayer topics here at GFP, check these out…
How To Pray When You Can’t Focus
How To Jump Start Your Prayer Life
How To Add Prayer To Your Busy Day
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What’s the tip of the week? Thanks for sticking around.
It’s this:
You have 24 hours. Every single day, 24 hours given to you. What will you do?
Please pray for our nation, for the next generation, and for the Church, that God’s people will rise up and praise him.
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“It’s time for me to take control of the discipline of prayer. I want God to change my heart, to enable me to turn more fully toward the one who calls me.” I’m with you on this, Friend. The word that comes to my mind most often on this subject is “grieved.” This is the heart of God. And if it is His heart, it should be mine. I am praying with you for this new generation of adults. Thank you for this reminder and motivation❤️
Wow. Grieved. Grieved about the world, and grieved about unfaithfulness in any degree. Including mine. Thank you for your insightful comment. I am so grateful for those who gently lead me further into faithfulness.