All
throughout of our lives we will get discourage in some point, we get
discourage when people talk negative about us, when people make promises
and not making it and most of the time we get discourage when we put so
much effort on something and did our best but at the end we still fell
short, we simply can't help ourselves to feel disappointed. But I still
believe that all of us have different responses on discouragements, for
some they become angry or self pity for some they respond on a positive
way convincing themselves that they can do better the next time. Well of
course that’s a good thing but not all the time self help is enough to
help us. We need to remember we are finite human beings, we can’t do
everything in fact there are more things we can’t do than things we can
only do. There are lot more things we can’t control than things that we
can control and this is the reality of life. We can always hope for the
best but the question is, are we certain on what we hope for?. The good
news is God wants to help us with our discouragements in life, He wants
to change our situations and turn it into blessings however God’s way of
helping us is different from what we usually do. Most of the time when
God is helping us He is not changing your outside situations, He is
changing your inside first. Real change is came from inside not on
outside, what happens in your outside is just manifestation of your
inside. This is what we call “changing your character”. We always hear
from pastors, preachers life coaches and mentors to build your
character, change your character, your future will depend on your
character. These are actually right but the question is how do we do
that, how will I start that. By the way we’re not going to focus and get
the details on changing your character, If you want me give you some
pointers on how to change character you may feel free to contact me at mguetan@gmail.com.
But
right now let me give you some steps on how God will turn your
discouragements into blessings. These are biblical stated principles
that if you do these God will turn it to blessing. Not only God will
give you blessings but how God will use these circumstances for you to love Him
more, to be closer to God and how will He change our inside or change
our characters.
I
got these pointers from the story of Luke 5:1-7. ( Please read it for
your reference). By the way just to give you an overview about what
happened in the story. Simon and Andrew just came from an overnight
fishing however they didn’t catch anything after the sermon of Jesus, He
told Simon to go back to the deep water and let down their nets and by
this time they catched enormous number of fish until they are on the
verge of sinking, wow that’s an amazing turnaround of discouragement to
blessing. So let’s take a look and let’s unpack what happen and God
blessed them so much.
GET JESUS INVOLVED IN YOUR PROBLEMS
If
you want to turn your discouragement into blessing first thing you have
to do is get Jesus involved in your problem. This is the first step you
need to do but it’s a matter of choice. This was what Simon (Peter) did
on the story, he let Jesus get inside his boat. He let Jesus lead the
way to the deep water while he pushed the boat to the deep water. What
does this mean? You have to let Jesus decide what to do and just listen
to His instructions. He lead the way you push the boat. Sadly speaking
if we have problems we’re not really involving Jesus in it, we’re trying
to solve it by our own power, wisdom, strength and will. This is not
gonna work out the way God will show his blessing. If we want to get
God’s blessings we have to do it God’s way. Now two things you have to
do if you want to involve Jesus in you problem. First He must be your
first option when you have problems not the doctor if you’re sick, not
family relatives if you’re broke not someone if you’re discouraged.
Second if you got problem, immediately pray and not worry and I truly
believe in my heart that God will give you revelation to how you deal
with problem.
TRUST GOD’S WAY EVEN IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE TO YOU
Imagine
the situation of Simon in the story, they just came from an overnight
fishing and didn’t catch anything, this is very frustrating. They work
hard all night but didn’t get anything. It’s like you working hard all
day in sales but at the end of the day no one bought your products or
it’s like Kobe Bryant playing on the floor for 48 minutes but not making
any shots. I know that somehow you could relate on this. Then suddenly
this man Jesus told Simon to go back to the deep water and let down the
nets. Would this make sense to you if someone told you to go back when
in fact you just went there and got nothing maybe not. And Simon could
have been refused what Jesus told him. By the way Simon and Andrew are
professional fishermen they know better than this. But Simon trusted
what Jesus told him to do.
Sometimes
in life God will ask you something that is really out of the box.
Something that doesn’t have any relevance at all and it doesn’t connect
on your situation. But the question is, will you trust God’s way even it
doesn’t make sense to you? or will you continue to do what you used to
do? When God spoke to Noah and asked to build an ark, that idea is
really strange because they didn’t even experience rain in their entire
life and then suddenly God told Noah to build an ark and He promise to
send a rain for 40 days. I’m completely convinced that God’s ways will
always be different from our ways, so that we may give Him the glory not
us. The Bible says in Isaiah 55:8 “For my thoughts are not my thoughts and my ways are far beyond your ways” declares the Lord.
DO EXACTLY WHAT GOD TOLD YOU
You
may say you trust God’s way but if you don’t do what He told you, you
can’t turn that discouragement into blessings. You could say, God I love
you and I trust you but Lord, this time I can’t do what you want me to do.
This is really hard for me, it’s tough, can I just do that next time
God. That’s not the attitude God will bless. In the story Simon said “We
worked hard all night but didn’t get anything but because you say so I will do it”.
That’s what we need, a “because you say so” attitude. Lord I’m just
tired but because you say so I will do it. Lord I’m not that good on
that but because you say so I will do it. Having said that, you can only
do what God told you if you do it by God’s power. God’s will requires
God’s power to fulfil. And if God gives you clear instruction of what
to do, do it exactly as what God said. There was a story in the Bible
about a man named Moses who didn’t do exactly what God told him and the
result God didn’t allow him to get into the promised land. Because the
people are all summoning Moses of bringing them in the wilderness
without water, he asked God to give them water and God gave him a very
clear instruction of what to do. “Moses just speak to the rock and the water will come out”
God said, but Moses instead struck rock. And because of that God didn’t
allow Moses to go into the promised land. It’s like God saying to us,
because you didn’t do what I told you I will not give the greatest
blessing I could give you, even you worked hard and even you have
sacrificed. That is why it’s very important that we pay attention to
what God is saying, have an ear to listen to God. Question, are you
listening to God? By the way, how will I know what God is telling me?
It’s through reading His word. It is the voice of God directly speaking
to you when you are reading scripture. And I believe in my heart that
God will speak to you and tell you what He wants you to do, that’s what
we called revelation.
EXPECT GREAT THINGS WILL HAPPEN
In
this part, God will show His power for your own benefit. But this power
will only unlock if you do the first three pointers. God is a gracious
God and He wants us to enjoy His miracles but it could not penetrate
until we make ourselves deserving of these blessings. Again God is far
more concern about changing your inside than your outside. What happens
outside is just a manifestation of what happens in your inside. Let’s go
back to the story of Simon when He let Jesus get involved, he also
trust him even he was tired and the idea was strange and lastly he did
exactly Jesus told him. Those were an acts of faith. And guess what
Jesus unlock that great blessing through his discouragement. Sometimes
we can expect for the best but God will always surprise you with his
power. In this stage we will experience the indescribable character of
the Lord.
