One of the greatest enemies of faith is not just doubt, but the discouragement that leads to doubt. When our difficult circumstances have not changed, and we see no way of changing them, it’s easy to slip into the passivity of discouragement. If we pray at all about our situation, we do so perfunctorily, with no real expectation of anything happening. And so, in general, nothing does. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, it’s not supposed to be that way.
Matthew 20:29-34 Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. 30 And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” 31 Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!” 32 So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 33 They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” 34 So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.
Two blind men, hearing that Jesus was passing by, cried out to Him for mercy. They refused to stop when the multitude urged them to be quiet. Jesus was going past them, but because of their persistent cry, He stopped, and dealt with their request.
These men, in their perhaps life-long blindness, had been faced with very discouraging circumstances. And now, as Jesus came near to them, the whole crowd was discouraging them from crying out to Him. They certainly had great opportunity to allow discouragement to control them. But they refused to be discouraged. And the more people tried to discourage them, the more they cried out to the Lord.
If they had listened to the discouragement of their circumstances, or to the discouragement of people, and had stopped crying out to Jesus, He would have passed them by. Their need got His attention only because they urgently, persistently, even loudly presented that need to Him, asking Him to have mercy. They were focused and would not be discouraged nor give up until Jesus responded.
The teaching of Scripture in so many places is, don’t give up! Ask God for what you need, and stay with that petitioning until you receive His answer. Do not be discouraged, neither be dismayed!
Ron Franklin
