Jump Start # 65

Luke 18:1 “Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart.”

  One of the fascinating things we learn about Jesus is that He is always concerned about us, especially our hearts. Jesus did not want the disciples to ‘lose heart.’ That is the very expression from which we get our word “discouraged.” Jesus didn’t want them to become discouraged.  At another time, Jesus said, “Do not let your heart be troubled” (Jn 14:1). Losing heart…troubled heart, they both represent heart trouble. That expression, ’heart trouble,’ is scary, whether it comes from the doctor or from Jesus.

  When our ‘hearts’ are not into something, we don’t give full attention to it. We do try very hard when our hearts don’t feel like it. I have gone to some classical concerts to please my wife but to be honest my heart wasn’t in it. If she wasn’t going, I definitely wouldn’t have gone. I didn’t understand the music. The pieces seemed to last forever. You can’t eat popcorn during a classical concert so I wasn’t a happy camper. But on the other hand, I have sat through concerts where my son sang classical pieces in choir and was thrilled. I didn’t know what language he was singing or what the piece was about, but my heart was in it because he was a part of it. Amazing how that works!  

  Discouragement is a real problem. It drains the life out of a marriage, it is death to a church. People don’t stay discouraged long. They will leave a marriage, they will “quit” church to find an end to being discouraged. Discouraged folks are not happy people. There are many reasons we get discouraged. The way others act can make us discouraged. This is what happens in marriage. The discouraged is not pleased with the way their mate is behaving. We can be discouraged with out of touch politicians, weird neighbors, lazy co-workers, demanding bosses, nosy church members and grown kids that don’t act grown up.

Discouragement is miserable. The discouraged just want to quit.

  The solution that Jesus offers is prayer. The passage says, “at all times they ought to pray.” Prayer helps. It’s not psychology here. It’s not merely talking through your problems. It is trusting in God who is larger than your problems. It is bringing God into the issue. God who can do things beyond us. God who is bigger than we are.

  Does this mean, if I have a problem or am discouraged, all I do is pray, and all those bad things will go away? No. That would be too easy. Prayer lifts our eyes. Prayer adds the spiritual. Prayer realizes that God has plans. The very thing that discourages a person may well remain there after they have prayed. What changes is how they view the problem and how they will allow the problem to affect them. Instead of God working on the problem, it may be that God needs to work on us. Instead of removing the problem, God may need to open our eyes, strengthen our backs and change our attitudes. Prayer works. Peter said, “casting all your anxiety upon Him because He cares for you” (1 Pet 5:7).

  Does Jesus care? The discouraged doubt that. The faithful know. God encourages. He does so through His word. He encourages by the people he brings into our life. Paul knew that when Titus came. Paul was depressed. God encouraged him by sending Titus. Marvelous how those things work. Church services can have the same positive effect.

  Don’t lose your heart! Find it. Keep it. Strengthen it. Prayer is the answer. We sing, “did you think to pray?” That’s what Jesus asks. Spend a few moments with God in prayer. Ask Him to help you not lose your heart! You’ll be glad you did!

 Roger