Discouraged

Everybody gets discouraged. A writer took his book to 36 publishers. All turned him away. Disgusted, he threw it into the wastebasket. His wife reached to fish it out. He thundered, "I forbid you to touch that manuscript!" She honored his wishes. The next day his wife went to another publisher with an odd-looking package under her arm. The publisher unwrapped the package and took the manuscript from the wastebasket. She had kept her word, and The Power of Positive Thinking was published for the first time. Since then, millions of copies have been distributed. Ruth Peale encouraged herself and her husband, Norman Vincent, when he was very depressed.

Depression

David, said, "No man careth for my soul" (Psalm 142:4). Eight years ago, I left the local mmistry. At first I was very depressed. Things happen! Things happened to me, and things happened to David. Can you identify discouragement and depression in your life that keep you from working to win the lost?

Think about the glory David received. The victory over the giant. Saul has slain his thousands, but David his ten thousands. Think about the defeats. David running for his life and hiding out in caves. Then, the victory of forgiving King Saul when he had the opportunity to take his life. Saul prayed to the witch of Endor; David prayed to Jehovah God. How do you react to discouragement and depression in your life? Do they keep you from working to bring others to Christ?

Depression comes again to David and his men as they see their houses burned to the ground and their wives and children kidnapped. The people thought David was the problem. David encouraged himself in the Lord his God (I Samuel 30:6). God gave them the victory again. David became the next king of Israel. His worship of God was enthusiastic and heartfelt (II Samuel 6:12 - 16). He had reached his goal.

Needs Motivate

In his national bestseller, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey writes, "If all the air were suddenly sucked out of the room you're in right now, what would happen to your interest in this book? You wouldn't care about the book; you wouldn't care about anything except getting air. Survival would be your only motivation. But now that you have air, it doesn't motivate you. This is one of the greatest insights in the field of human motivation: Satisfied needs do not motivate. It's only the unsatisfied need that motivates."

David was satisfied and filled. He was in charge. He had everything his heart desired. He began to think more about his own needs, than the needs of others and the pleasures of God. His goals had been met. His dreams had been realized. "Wherefore let him who thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall" (I Corinthians 10:12). It was at this time David committed adultery with Bathsheba. You know the rest of the story. Are we not in danger of committing sin and forgetting the work God has given us to do when we are satisfied?

Psalm 51 is David's prayer of forgiveness. Notice the key words: "Make me" (verse 8). This reminds me of the prodigal son who said, "Make me" (Luke 15).

"Make me to hear joy and gladness: that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, 0 God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways: and sinners shall be converted unto thee" (Psalms 51:8 - 13).

Coming Back Into Focus

Notice the key words italicized in the verse above. David was hungering and thirsting for the approval of God. He wanted to be in tune with God once again. He remembered what it was like to have a clear conscience. He longed to be "the man after God's own heart:"

This prayer of David reminds me of the song HAVE THINE OWN WAY "Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way! Thou art the potter; I am the clay. Mold me and make me After thy will, While I am waiting, Yielded and still. Search me and try me, Master, today! Whiter than snow, Lord, Wash me just now, As in thy presence, Humbly I bow. Hold o'er my being Absolute sway! Fill with Thy spirit till all shall see Christ only, always, Living in me!" (Adelaide Pollard, Hope Publishing Co.)

What did David want? He wanted to sing again. He wanted to be happy again. He wanted to praise God again. He wanted to have a willing obedient spirit. Could he? Would he? Did he? The answer is yes. You can, too.

David looked inward and lost his direction. He looked upward and saw his cleansing. Then he looked outward to his need for sharing and made a promise to God: "Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee."