It Is Discouraging, But Let’s Persevere

It is discouraging to know that our Country has a President who wishes for government to compete with private insurance companies to provide health insurance for citizens.

It is discouraging to know that our President wishes to force employers to offer medical coverage to their workers.

It is discouraging to know that our President wishes to tell our doctors what procedures are necessary for the patients they are treating and what procedures are not necessary.

It is discouraging to know that we have a President that supports abortion for most any reason.

It is discouraging to know that we have a President who has no problem with same sex marriages.

It is very discouraging to know that our Country has a President who is leading us towards socialism.

The idea for this column came from one that was written by Tom McElroy for the Franklin County Citizen. Allow me to share some of his thoughts on discouragement and some more of mine.

It is discouraging to be a Christian in 21st century America. It seems that our society which was founded on Christian principles is becoming a place that is increasingly antagonistic to Christianity.

It is discouraging to see so much abortion, parents who are not interested in their kids opting to pursue wealth, drugs, relationship, careers.

It is discouraging because we see many of our youth consumed with sex and violence. It is discouraging to see a society full of people searching for acceptance and love in all the wrong places.

It is discouraging to no longer be able to go to the movies, listen to the radio, turn on the television, or surf the internet without being bombarded with immorality. It is discouraging enough to make some of us wish we could take our family to live on a deserted island. It is discouraging enough to make us long for the day of Christ’s return.

The first century Christians lived in a world far more hostile that our own, McElroy wrote. They faced persecution, hostile governments and death but they thrived. If anyone had a reason to be discouraged they did, but they lived their lives boldly sharing the good news of the gospel with their neighbors converting those who persecuted them.

Today Christianity is the largest of the world’s religions. The world we live in may be more antagonistic to Christianity than we like, but it is a far less hostile place than the first century Christians lived in.

Philippians 4:13 says, “For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need.” May we all pray that God will give us the strength we need to take on this corrupt world one day at the time, one step at the time sweet Jesus.

Let us not be discouraged, but persevere, each of us doing our part that God has assigned to us. Seventy-five percent of the lost people are won to Christ by a lay person rather than by a preacher. Let’s share our stories with those that don’t know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Tom closed his column by writing, “Take courage dear brothers and sisters Christ is our Lord. Of course I am no expert and certainly don’t claim to know everything but that’s the truth as far as I can tell. God loves you and so do I.”