Jump Start # 3227

2 Corinthians 7:6 “But God who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus.”

A young preacher called the other day. He was discouraged. He was thinking of quitting and doing something else. He needed to vent and I happen to have a couple of big ears to listen. The shepherds where he was at were dragging their feet on this and that. He thought he should have gotten a better raise. He felt that he wasn’t appreciated. Should he move? Should he quit?  He talked. I listened. I could tell he was feeling really down. I know those feelings all too well. I have been there myself. Elijah in a cave, that’s what it’s like. Gloom and despair fill the skies when one is down in the dumps.

But this is much bigger than a younger preacher who is discouraged. From time to time all of us get in that valley. People disappoint us. People don’t keep their promises. People let us down. What we think ought to happen, doesn’t. And, for some that journey through the blues of discouragement lasts a long, long time.

Discouragement can be the final nail in the coffin that buries a marriage. Discouragement is a leading cause of why some walk away from the Lord or shift to another congregation. I heard a preacher begin his sermon with, “I am really depressed today.” It was hard to stay with him because of that opening statement. When discouraged a person begins to look for the exit door. Out of preaching. Resigning as a shepherd. Walking away from a marriage. Walking away from the Lord.

How does one get encouraged? How do you pull yourself out of the blues?

First, it’s up to you. Much too often we expect the church, the sermon, the shepherds or someone, anyone, to help us get back where we ought to be. There is a great illustration from the life of David that helps us. He was being chased by crazed king Saul. He returns home to find his family has been kidnapped. The men with him are so distraught, discouraged and defeated that they consider killing David. The passage says that “David strengthened himself.” That’s the key. There wasn’t anyone else who was going to do this. And, when we expect, wait and want others to pull us up out of the pits of pity and despair, it often doesn’t happen and then we sink even deeper in that dark hole.

What can you do to encourage yourself? What can you do to help your spirit? What can you do that will give you a better feeling in the Lord? That’s where you must start. Stop waiting for others and do what you can to help yourself. Changing the atmosphere helps. Switching your thoughts to something else helps. As long as we keep dwelling on how bad we feel, we will feel bad. Find something positive to do. Pray.

Second, keeping the Heavenly perspective always helps with getting the right balance in your thinking and your emotions. Remember Jesus. People walked away from Him. People falsely accused Him. And, that ole’ rugged cross, who can forget that? People let you down? They did Jesus. People hurt you? They did Jesus. People disappoint you? They did Jesus. But Jesus has never let you down. Jesus has never hurt you. Jesus has never disappointed you. You don’t follow people, you follow the Lord. The Lord has always been there for you. The Lord has been good to you. His blessings continue to flow. His forgiveness and grace is always available. Trust Him. Love Him. Follow Him.

Find a hymn and sing to yourself. It will bring that Heavenly perspective to you. Count your blessings and be thankful. Realize Satan wants you to walk away. Satan wants you to give up. Satan wants you to think more about yourself and your feelings than others.

Third, the Lord knows the good that you are doing. No one else may. No one else may appreciate what you are doing, but God does. What you are doing is right and good and you need to stay at it. A cup of cold water given to another, who would even mention that? God does. He saw. He knew. Only the Lord knows the hours you poured into writing a sermon or developing a meaningful class. Only the Lord knows the effort you put into making food for someone else. God knows and isn’t that all that matters. The right hand does not have to know what the left hand does.

Fourth, the Lord doesn’t want you to be discouraged. You won’t find a passage that gives a green light to being in the dumps. What we do find are verses about being thankful or rejoicing or building up one another. When Paul was depressed, God sent Titus. When Elijah was hiding in the cave, God told him to get out and appoint someone as king. Jumping back into the work that we do in the kingdom gets our minds off of ourselves and it keeps us busy doing great things.

What did I tell that young preacher who called? He had to make the decision for himself. I told him that most preachers get discouraged. I said I long have thought about quitting every Monday morning. But Tuesday rolls around and there are things to be done. I then reminded him of the apostle who was treated as the scum of the earth. Then I asked him about all the people he has helped through the years. What would it be like for him to quit because he didn’t feel like he was treated fairly. God has and God will treat him fairly.

I don’t know if brethren, especially shepherds will ever understand the emotions and the heart of a preacher. Some treat the relationship like a cold business. Some brag about all the benefits they get at work or at retirement and never once think of the preacher who gets a monthly check and nothing else. When he is finished, there won’t be anything for him and he will be replaced as quickly as possible. That’s the world of preaching. Many can’t take it. Many get so discouraged they get out. But when we realize the enormous good that is being done worldwide in the kingdom, and that souls are being saved eternally, and that God understands, the preacher quietly keeps these thoughts to himself and labors on. He knows he is doing what is good and noble. He knows that the Lord knows.

I also told this young preacher that the grass always looks greener elsewhere. But that grass still has to be mowed. Every job and every church has things that can discourage you. One can focus on those things or one can focus upon his blessings.

The young preacher continues to preach.

Roger

Jump Start # 2367

2 Corinthians 7:6 “But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus.”

Our verse today is layered with many lessons and applications. God comforts the depressed. God comforted us, Paul says. The conclusion is that Paul was depressed. That bothers some of us. We don’t like having a depressed apostle. In our thinking, they ought to always be upbeat, optimistic, hopeful and bright. They are the ones who encourage the rest of us. Now, if an apostle is depressed, that really troubles us.

Some thoughts here.

First, we know that there are various levels of depression. There is clinical depression and often chemical imbalances are the cause of such troubles. In the first century, mental health wasn’t highly understood or studied. Counselors, therapists, and specialists in mental health did not exist. Anti-depression and anxiety medicine, as we know them today, did not exist.

God comforted us. How did Paul know he was depressed? The Holy Spirit told him when this message was revealed to him. But, likely, he knew. Most know when they are fearful, anxious, or down in the dumbs. Paul didn’t have a couch to lie on and someone to figure out his past to bring meaning to why he felt this way. The verse before ours today pretty much tells us all that we need to know. It says “we were afflicted on every side; conflicts without, fears within.” That’s why Paul was depressed. Things were tough in his life.

Second, God helped Paul. The way God helped him would be ignored and laughed at today. God didn’t send Paul to get professional help. God didn’t send Paul on a vacation. God didn’t give Paul some medicine. He sent Titus. God sent a friend. A friend who had news about how others were doing. Paul was worried about these people. Titus set his mind to ease. Titus refreshed his spirit. Titus was the solution to Paul’s troubles. With Titus, came comfort.

Third, God was aware of Paul’s situation. It was God who sent the help. It was God who was on top of things. Sometimes no one else understands, God does. Sometimes others don’t get why we are so bothered. God knows. And, the best help is always what God sends.

Now from this passage, some lessons for us.

First, we get discouraged and depressed. If Paul did, I’m certain we will. Some think all of this is a faith issue. If our faith was strong enough, nothing would bother us. That sounds wonderful until you get out of the back seat of the car and sit behind the steering wheel. We sure can run the other guys life so much better than he can, but some how we just can’t get our own life to be so smooth.

Now, there are things that discourage us and depress us that probably shouldn’t. A favorite TV show is cancelled. A favorite player is traded. An actor dies. A restaurant closes. This is life. Life is always changing. It is very fluid. It moves and rarely does anything stay the same. Go back to your high school, decades after you graduated, it doesn’t look the same. Go by the old house you grew up in, the neighborhood, and the house no longer look the same. We can let things bother us that shouldn’t. In the big picture, many of these things do not matter. In fact, in a dozen years, many of these things won’t even be remembered by us.

There are things that ought to bother us. There are things that can take the wind out of our sails. Serious things. Spiritual things. I have returned to churches that I once preached at. Not only are things not the same, but sometimes the situation is dire. Congregations struggling. Folks no longer faithful to God. Division. Error. Trouble that has ripped a church apart. As a preacher, it’s discouraging to hear of folks within the congregation who make the wrong choices. Their lives are falling apart. Week after week, the preacher does his best to connect, help and teach, but sitting right there are people who are in the midst of wrong choices and they will continue to make those wrong choices. The preacher feels defeated. He feels like his work is in vain. He wonders what he should have done to connect with these people and to help them make the right choices. There are certainly things that get us discouraged and depressed.

Second, the solution to some of our discouragement and depression needs to be received from Heaven. Rather than finding an expert in mental health, or running to the pharmacy to get some medicine, God can often help us. Now, we understand that when a person is sick physically, they often need medicine. And, with some chemical imbalances, medicine is likewise needed. BUT, there are times when Heaven’s help is the best help. In Paul’s case it was the sending of Titus. Maybe there is a Titus there for you. You may not see him because you are not in services. You may not see him because you have sought out physical solutions and earthly help without seeing what God could do. You may not believe that God can help you. Paul got help. It came in the form of another disciple, a Titus. Sometimes our best help is sitting right there in the pew.

Finally, though depressed, Paul didn’t quit. We do. We use our feelings as a reason why we can’t go on. I don’t feel like going to church we say, so we don’t. I don’t feel like being around others, even though our Titus may be there for us, so we don’t. I don’t feel like praying. So we don’t. I don’t feel like teaching a class. So we don’t. You don’t find Paul going there. You don’t find Paul staying in bed for months because he was depressed. You don’t find Paul sitting in a bar, nor, sitting on the edge of a bridge. Paul didn’t forget who he was and what he was to do, even though he was depressed. We tend to allow our inner feelings to dictate what we do and who we are. If I’m singing, “I’m happy today, oh, yes, I’m happy today,” then you’ll see me. However, if I am unable to sing that song, then don’t count on me. I can’t be reliable until I move past how I feel. It may take a while. It may take months. It could even get into years, but until then, just don’t count on me. Funny, Paul wasn’t like that. Onward he traveled. Onward he preached. Onward he kept going for the Lord. Maybe it’s time we got a hold of our feelings and took charge of our lives. Rather than allowing our feelings to drive the car, we get things back under control ourselves. We will not be mastered by anything, including our feelings. We will not be a slave to anything, other than Jesus.

You ever get the blues? I do. Mondays are kind of hard for me. I think about what happened on Sunday and I feel like I should have done more. I should have preached better. I should have helped this one more. I want everyone to do their best. I want everyone to be walking close to the Lord. And, when I see some who are not, it makes me think that I let them down somehow. I know people make their own choices. And, yes, I know that some walked away from the Lord. But still, like a mother hen, I want all the little chicks to be growing, happy and right where they need to be. Often, it’s not that way.

What do you do when you get the blues? I pray. I think about Paul. I think about what I can do better next time. And, I get at it the best I can.

Don’t feel bad because some days you get the blues. Sometimes you can’t help it. What you do with it and more so, what it does to you, makes all the difference. God sent Titus. I like that. We need Titus in our lives and we need to be a Titus to others.

Roger

Jump Start # 956

2 Corinthians 7:6 “But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus.”

A friend sent me a message this week letting me know that he was in the area. We met for lunch. He’s incredible. We went to school together and our paths have crisscrossed several times since. We both preached in a lectureship in Dallas this summer. Although we haven’t spent a lot of time together, he is one of the special people in my life. There is a rich goodness about him. He’s an amazing preacher that is passionate and kind in heart. Our lunch went too quickly and we parted. I’m not sure when we will see each other again, but I hope it’s soon. We all have people that come and go in our lives. There are people that remain, we call them friends. Then there are those few who are very special to us. They bring out the best in us. They help us spiritually and keep us connected with the Lord.

Our passage today reminds us of three powerful truths.

First, God’s people get depressed. Paul put himself in that category. Depression isn’t something that happens only to the weak of faith. Here, an apostle admitted that he was depressed. Paul had a lot on his mind and heart. The Corinthians were not doing well. Many were questioning Paul’s authority and right as an apostle. At Ephesus, Paul fought wild beasts, most likely, describing persecutors. At Thessalonica, Paul had to sneak out of town in the night to escape persecutors. There were some who were denying the resurrection of Christ. Some were living immorally. Some were trying to tie the old law to the gospel of Christ. It seems everywhere there were things that were not right and people who were not getting it. Paul wondered out loud if his work was useless. There was enough to depress Paul.

We need to recognize something about Paul’s depression. I understand there is such a thing as clinical depression where a person has a chemical imbalance and they need prescriptions to help with that balance. We may think our hope and salvation is in a pill. It’s not. A pill may set your moods in order, but they do not remove the problems that put you there. Pills do not take away problems. Paul was depressed, but he didn’t quit. Too many use depression as a reason for not attending worship, for not continuing their walk with God, for a quick exit out of the Christian life. Not Paul. Depressed, yes. Quitting? Never!

Second, God comforts. God understands. God is the help. Paul was not alone with his burdens. God was there. What turned Paul around was God. When we run from God when we are depressed, we are running from the very source that can help us. God recognized Paul’s troubles. Paul was not threatened by God. Paul was comforted by God. Depressed times are times for prayer, soul searching and reading God’s word. Too many hang their hat on the expression, “I don’t feel like it.” Maybe you don’t. You probably don’t. We have learned that we have to do things that we don’t like. Many would like to stay in bed half the day, but they can’t. They go to work when they don’t feel like it. Many parents don’t feel like being a parent on some days. They continue on. There are days when Christians may not want to let their light shine, but they do. I don’t feel like it, isn’t a reason to quit. Onward we must go.

Third, God’s comfort to Paul was not in removing all his stress. It was not in removing all his problems. It came in the form of Titus, a person. We may wonder why God doesn’t help us and that help is often standing right in front of us, in the form of a Christian. We miss that because we aren’t looking for that form of help. We want problems removed. We want problems solved. We don’t need people. We need solutions to problems. That’s how we think. God knows. God sent Titus. Titus was better than a pill. Titus brought good news to Paul. The brethren were starting to turn around. Paul’s letters and teachings were beginning to take shape. Good news brought by a good friend—that’s enough to turn the depressed around.

This shows us one of the benefits of our worship. We have each other. There is something about seeing each other. Presence matters. There is encouragement, hope and reminders when we see each other. There is a positive peer pressure when we see each other. We are reminded that we are not alone when we see each other. My good friend Bill is full of cancer. I walked into the church building with him last night. That was such a boast and thrill to my heart to see him out worshipping the Lord he loves. Some look for the first and easiest excuse to miss. Their hearts are not right. Bill, having every reason to stay home, didn’t. Bill is a Titus to me. His smile, his great spirit and his overall goodness turns the darkest day to sunshine.

What happens when we stay home or stay away from other Christians? What happens when we do not include them in our lives? In Paul’s case, as well as ours, we would remain depressed. We wonder why God doesn’t answer our prayers. We wonder why God isn’t doing anything to help us, when the help is there, we just fail to recognize it. We stay home, singing, “gloom, despair and misery on me,” while our Titus is at the church building, sent by God, looking for us, ready to comfort us, and no connection is made.  God sent Titus. God’s comfort was in the form of Titus.

Do you have a Titus in your life? Preachers need them. If apostles get depressed, I’m certain preachers get depressed. Often our buckets get empty. We are there for others, but who is there for us? Titus is. You need to meet that Christian friend for lunch. You need a Bill in your life, who with all his health issues, is a fountain of joy for others. You need others. You need that Christian who will be honest with you. You need that Christian who recognizes when you are slipping. You need that Christian who is there for you.

God sent Titus to Paul. Comfort was given. I have so many Titus’ in my life. Some do not live very close to me, but they are always there for me, just a phone call away. Wonderful memories, strong encouragement, helpful comfort is what they provide. I think of a retired school principle by the name of Jim. He’s a Titus to me. I think of friends like Rickie J. and Don, powerful Titus’ to me. I think of four wonderful kids who look at me as dad. They are a Titus to me. There are layers and layers of dear, dear people that God has put in my life. I am not unique. Many of you can say the same. We would not be the same without these people. God has helped us by sending quality people into our lives.

For those who do not have a Titus in your life. He’s out there. He’s there to help you. He’s strong, spiritual and Heaven sent. Include Titus in your life. Let him be God’s comfort to you. This is what Biblical fellowship is all about. It’s not hotdogs and games. It’s hearts connecting. It’s care and love. It’s support and friendship. It’s meaningful time with quality people.

I have found that my list of Titus’ continues to grow. I found some new ones recently in Minnesota. Who would have thought that there would have been a Titus way up there. But there was. New friendships. New memories. Great hope. Great comfort.

Thank you, Lord for my friends who mean so much to me. Thank you for the comfort you give me through them. Thank you, for lunch with spiritual giants, like Kenny. It didn’t make my day, it made my week!

And lest we forget, you need to be a Titus to someone else. You may be God’s answer to someone’s depressed heart. You may be the very comfort that someone is needing. Take time. Allow your schedule to be interrupted. Connect. Be there. Listen. Share. Lift the hearts of others.

Titus was a key part of Paul being Paul.

Roger

Jump Start # 524 

2 Corinthians 7:6 “But God who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus”

  This is an interesting passage. The flow of the passage leads to one conclusion and that is the apostle Paul had been depressed. That’s hard for many to grasp. They see Paul as nearly Superman. Always up. Always smiling. Slap him in the face and he’d still smile. That’s not the impression the N.T. gives us. He told the Corinthians that he was afraid. In the verse before our passage today, he reveals that he had conflicts externally and fears internally and his flesh had no rest. The life of the apostles was not glorious as we might assume. Today, we study their lives in great detail. Books have been written about them. We name cities, buildings and babies after them. Not back then. They were horribly treated. They were considered the scum of the earth. They were hunted down, they were misquoted, they were arrested and eventually they were executed. Yes, Paul was depressed.

  There are many things that get us down. The winter here in the Ohio Valley can be gloomy for months. The lack of sunshine affects the moods of some. The slow economy, the inability to find a decent paying job, mounting bills can cause one to be depressed. Dealing with failing health can be depressing. When things don’t go as we would want, that has an affect upon a person. The list of things that can make us blue is long. The affect that these things can have upon us can even be longer. When a person is down they just don’t feel like doing anything. Some stay in bed. Others would like to, but they can’t. They go to work, but they are not productive. Some quit going to church services—the reason, they don’t feel like it. Depression can make a person feel like they are walking around with a cloud over their head all day long.

  S0me depression is caused by a chemical imbalance. Medication is necessary to help a person. Understand that the medicine can help with the moods and emotions but the medicine doesn’t solve the problems that led to the depression. For others, it is a series of bad things happening to them that leads to depression. One thing after another and it gets to being too much for them. They can’t handle it. Some get angry. Some turn to the bottle. Some have an emotional meltdown. Still with others, it is a faith issue. The greater our faith, the less our worries. The greater our worries, the greater our fears and doubts will be.

  There is not a one size fits all solution to depression. It can be extremely complicated. There are various levels and affects of discouragement and depression. Those who witness others struggling with these issues often have a hard time understanding it. Their simple conclusion is to “snap out of it,” which they would gladly do, if they only knew how.

  Our passage reminds us that God was there to help Paul. The verse begins by stating, “God who comforts the depressed…” God doesn’t point fingers and expect you to “snap out” on your own. He is there. He comforts the depressed. He is active to help. God approached Paul’s problems spiritually. In the O.T., God was there for Elijah when he was hiding in the cave. God comes to us. God is help.

  What did God do? He didn’t take away Paul’s problems. That’s the solution we look for and we want. Take away the problem and I’ll be in better spirits. Often, it’s through the problem that our character is forged and shaped. We need problems to build and rely upon our faith in God.

  God sent Titus to Paul. The apostle was concerned about the Corinthians and the well being of that church. That weighed heavily upon his thinking. Titus brought news. The news was good. The brethren were obeying Paul’s letter and things were going well. The unknown can be the worst thing. Not knowing where the kids are…not knowing what the surgery will be like…not knowing what the boss wants…all those things can make the heart anxious and fearful. God brought Titus to Paul. Titus was the comfort.

  Our problems can make us have to change our schedule and our day in order to deal with them. They can occupy a lot of our time. God has a way, if we allow Him in, to comfort us. That comfort comes in many ways. Sometimes it’s the word of God. Sometimes, as with Paul, it comes through other people, God’s people. God sends them to help us.

  Let me share a personal story that just happened yesterday to me. Debbie and I had gone to Tennessee to visit our son. We spent the night there. A terrible thunderstorm went through the area. In the morning I discovered a tree limb had fallen and smacked our car. No glass was broken but it’s dinted in a few places. Bummer # 1. On the way home, my bank called. Someone somewhere got a hold of my debit card number and there were charges on it from Virginia. Many phone calls back and forth while on the road. Bummer # 2. Today, I have to go to the bank to sign some papers and so forth. My schedule didn’t have room for that, but it will now. That’s enough to put one in a bad mood. We were home about 15 minutes last night and off to a Bible study with a group of friends. It is awesome! It was very encouraging! Somehow dented cars and hassles at the bank didn’t seem so bad. Something happened last night that I didn’t even know. God comforted me. Through Scriptures, through friends, through faith, He was there. He helped.

  I realized that as much as God wants to comfort us, we have a part in this as well. If we fight it, reject it, and just decided to be miserable, He’ll let us. But if we work with Him, follow Him where He leads us, often we will feel much better. After the darkest storms at night, the sun often shines the next day.

  God loves His children. He works with them, through them and for them. There is comfort in Scriptures. There is comfort in the presence of others. There is something about just opening up the Gospels and journeying by faith with Jesus.

  Someday there will be no more storms every again. Some day all the bad people who like to steal will be gone. Some day, Heaven will be ours.

  We are one day closer to Heaven today.

Roger