HAVE YOU EVER BEEN DISCOURAGED?
Read 2 Timothy 1:15.
Paul, known for his undying faith and irrepressible joy, sits alone in a prison in Rome. He is cold (cf. 2 Tim. 4:13 where he asks Timothy to bring his cloak); he has none of his precious belongings – like his scrolls and parchments (also 2 Tim. 4:13, no doubt parts of the Old Testament). He awaits his death sentence. And for perhaps the first time we see a somewhat lonely Paul. Perhaps discouraged. Perhaps in need of a friend. But what does life deal him? Deserters. People have moved on, leaving Paul to sit and die in prison. And Paul says, “Everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me.” Talk about adding insult to injury.
Have you ever felt that way? Do you feel that way now? Your world is falling apart. There is little for you to do but sit around and wallow in discouragement. To have one disappointment after another. Add to that the abandonment of those close to you and it can be overwhelming. It can be discouraging to the point of depression. I am not suggesting Paul was at that point in his life (in fact, I am sure he wasn’t), but life is not without disappointment and discouragement.
Recently a friend was in car accident that damaged her vehicle significantly. Fortunately everyone was okay, but the car was in bad shape. Because she had rear-ended the car in front of her, she was said to be at fault. She was emotionally crushed and discouraged by the unexpected catastrophe. Imagine her double-disappointment to be confronted by the police officer shortly after saying, “Oh, by the way, here’s a ticket for reckless driving!” Talk about adding insult to injury!
Sometimes just when we think it can’t get worse, it does. The life of a follower of Christ is not without disappointment and discouragement. One of the worst forms of discouragement is the absence of friends when you need them most. If you ever get into that situation, one of the worst things a person can do is go into isolation; never tell a friend what’s going on; never call on a friend for help – in fact, there may not be any desire to be around anyone. That is one thing Paul does NOT do. The lack of friends is a terrible thing to him. It may be the cause of discouragement, but he doesn’t throw everyone out of his life.
Can I offer a suggestion? If you should find yourself in a place of discouragement, do yourself a favor, don’t go into isolation. Call a friend. Ask for help. And if you are that friend, don’t leave them alone during this dark time. Be a source of encouragement. More on that tomorrow as we look at a few good men who did just that for Paul. For now, though, be around people to give and receive encouragement. No one should be alone.