Sun 23 Sep

Discouragement can hit us at any time. When events don’t go as planned, discouragement can hit. Events can take place that we never expected and we become discouraged. You put your all into a ministry and it falls to pieces. You spend time sharing the gospel with someone only to have them turn their back on God. Perhaps you are facing discouragement right now. It could be a health issue. It could be a family matter.

Ezra 4 sees God’s people facing discouragement. The enemies of God set out to discourage the rebuilders. They start with threatening language and intimidation. Nothing like a bit of bullying to get your own way. The enemies then hire people to discourage the rebuilders.

Having read Ezra 4 we are shown through the actions of God’s enemies that in being a Christian will not be easy. In fact the chapter hints at the fact that God’s people can expect hardship and discouragement.

When we come to those times let us hand them over to God and realize that nothing will frustrate God’s plans. Even when evil men nailed Jesus to a cross it did not frustrate what God was planning.