Encouragment

On January 8, 1956, Pete Fleming, Ed McCully, Roger Youderian, Nate Saint, and Jim Elliot landed on a sandbar in a remote part of the Ecuadorian jungle in order to reach the Waodani people.  They had recently made contact with the tribe and were eager to speak to them again.  But after their first meeting a man they called George lied to the tribe about the intention of the missionaries.  As the plane landed on that fateful day, warriors from the tribe came out of the jungle and murdered the five men.

In a journal kept by Jim Elliot these words are penned:

“I pray for you, that all your misgivings will be melted to thanksgivings. Remember that the shadow a thing casts often far exceeds the size of the thing itself (especially if the light be low on the horizon) and though some future fear may strut brave darkness as you approach, the thing itself will be but a speck when seen from beyond. Oh that He would restore us often with that 'aspect from beyond,' to see a thing as He sees it, to remember that He dealeth with us as with sons.”

There will be circumstances in our lives that cause discouragement.  These five men knew the possibilities that awaited them as they strived to reach a tribe who had never heard the Gospel message.  They paid the ultimate price to follow the will of God.  And if this event is viewed only in the present it would continue to be discouraging.  But difficult circumstances always pass us by and “when seen from beyond” they indeed are “but a speck.”

In Acts 20:1-12 we find a passage that begins and ends with encouragement.  And even the death of a young man during one of Paul’s sermons cannot stop his encouraging fellow believers.  Are we willing, like Paul, to face discouraging circumstances with the future in mind?  Are we willing to view our lives through the eyes of a God who is greater than any circumstance?  The shadow that circumstances cast is longer than the circumstance itself.

May we see our lives through as God sees them and to remember that He never forgets his children.  May we experience encouragement from Him today through His word and the example of Paul.