Why Despair?
Do you remember the song, “Gloom, despair, agony on me”? The lyrics are, “Gloom, despair, and agony on me. Deep, dark depression, excessive misery. If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all. Gloom, despair, and agony on me.” I’d like to take a moment to challenge you to move away from that sort of mind set and help you take a step toward living the victorious and overcoming life that scripture clearly and assuredly promises.
Some time back, when my In-Laws were in that terrible auto accident, I talked with so many people outside my usual realm of contacts; insurance agents, lawyers, nurses, doctors, administrators, pastors, and all sorts of people from several local churches that I had never spoken with before. Throughout all the situations, there was a consistent attack on my thoughts to believe for the worst. It was epitomized by the attitude of one specific doctor that was involved in the situation. He had absolutely no ‘bedside’ manner and went as far as drawing charts to show how we are all dying more each day.
The circumstances made me so aware of how easy it is to think and speak along that negative line of “gloom, despair, and agony on me.” Whenever you find yourself heading that direction in your thinking, remind yourself of the reality of what God has to say about all of this!
Here is what God has promised us! We are in the world, but Christ has overcome the world! And, we are IN Christ in the world! Did you catch that? You are IN CHRIST! Is there gloom and despair in Christ? NO! Absolutely NOT! Is there bad luck in Christ? NO! We are MORE than conquerors! We are promised to be as a tree which is planted by living water. Our leaves do not even wither!
So how exactly does that apply to you today? Are you feeling a little down? Are you overwhelmed? Do you feel a loss of direction? The devil will try to use those emotions to whittle away at your faith and get you singing gloom and despair. Stop right now and remind yourself of who you are! You are a child of God! You are an heir! You are strong and mighty!
Sure, problems may come! But it is just like Alisa said to me one day, “The greater victory is not when problems do not come. The greater victory is when I overcome the problems!” It is when God is glorified through my response and victorious life! Long for the greater victory!
What does God’s Word have to say about all of this?
2 Peter 1:3 says, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”
Increasing in Christ,
Pastors Gary & Alisa Linn
