Have you ever felt discouraged? Have you ever felt like all of your efforts to accomplish something, or even to just get through the day were painfully ineffective?
I think we’ve all been there.
The prophet Jeremiah walked that road, too.
His faithful ministry of heralding God’s Word landed him in jail. Pashur, the governor in the house of the Lord, ironically, heard Jeremiah’s message and whacked him in the face. The next day, Pashur locked him up in jail.
I have never been whacked in the face for preaching God’s Word. I’ve had people disagree with me, maybe a criticism here and there, but I’ve never endured a face-whacking for the Lord.
Jeremiah probably felt like giving up.
But there was something inside him that kept him going.
“But His word was in my heart like a burning fire; shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back. And I could not.” (Jeremiah 20:9)
Jeremiah was truly called. He had a message from God. He had to proclaim it. That was his job, his ministry, his passion, his life.
He knew that God was with him.
I love Jeremiah 20:11 – “But the LORD is with me as a mighty, awesome One.”
Listen. No matter what opposition you are going through, no matter how difficult or discouraging your life may be, realize that the One who is with you is mighty and awesome! He is Emmanuel, He is God, He is with you. Trust Him.