kingdom travelin'

I looked up ‘vitriol’ just now to check the spelling. I discovered, to my surprise, that the term is used in chemical discussion. I was told to see sulfuric acid.

Sulfuric acid.

When we allow vitriol to enter our speech, online posts, etc., we are speaking sulfuric acid.

Sulfuric acid burns and disolvrs other elements.

Is that the way you want to speak? Is that the impression you wish for people to have of you? Is that what you want people to think of when they know you’re a follower of Jesus.

At a conference a couple of years back I heard speaker after speaker speak with vitriol against a government and its policies. These guys were theologians and Christian leaders. Finally a real pastor spoke about loving his enemies who happened to also be his neighbors. He spoke with a voice of love against injustice.

Yes, today, we’re surrounded by acidic speech, much of it explicit. But, lets guard our hearts, minds and mouths from joining such. 

Yes, we should speak out against injustice. But let us not become like the politicians and news media. May our calls for justice and right be voiced in love. Maybe we think them our enemy, but Jesus told us to love our enemy. 

Encourage, yes.

Exhort, yes.

Vitriol? No. Not implied, explicit or open to inference.

Peace.

Not acid.

Our role in the lives of other disciples is to be present and point one another to an ever deepening understanding of how great God is and how much our heavenly Father loves us. Consider Paul’s wish:

“May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.”

‭‭2 Thessalonians‬ ‭3:5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/2th.3.5.esv

It occurs to me that discouragement is many times a matter of perspective. When I gaze intently into my problem seeing no hope, I’m looking the wrong way. Lewis’ well worn adage of aiming at Heaven is helpful here. When I’m discouraged, I’m aiming at my struggle, at earth. I get neither. Disciples point one another to Heaven. 

Disciples grow best in clumps. We’re designed for community so don’t sit in your fear and discouragement alone. Text somebody to pray. Share your struggle with your fellow disciples in your regular, vulnerable and honest meeting. Don’t isolate yourself. You probably need a hug and/or a kick in the rear, neither of which are effectively accomplished in isolation. Be in community, reach out for help.

How’s your thankful list coming?

So, in my bouts of discouragement I’ve found that reading the Scriptures is helpful. Here’s two ideas:

1. Read the Psalms and pray them. There’s plenty of commiseration there if you’re helped by that. There’s also great hope.

2. Develop and maintain a list of Scriptures that encourage you when you fear. There’s a link to one of mine as and example in this old post.

How’s your list coming?

Yesterday I introduced this mini series on discouragement with a simple idea. Thankfulness.

Today I offer a helpful article.

http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/lay-aside-the-weight-of-discouragement

How’s your list coming?

A couple of us have struggled with discouragement of late. (You Pollyannas who don’t wrestle with such should keep reading too so you can remind the rest of us if these ideas when we’re struggling next week.) So after a couple of helpful conversations with fellow disciple a few things have come to the table. I’ll stretch these out over a few days so as to respect your time. Here’s the first, from a fellow discipe:

Practice thankfulness.

Right? The Bible’s full of admonishment to thankfulness. 

Practical step:

Sit down and make a list of things you are thankful for. The length of the list may or may not be important but I’d say the longer the list the better.

Tomorrow, an article.