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NASB | Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who by faith have testified to the truth of God's absolute faithfulness], stripping off every unnecessary weight and the sin which so easily and cleverly entangles us, let us run with endurance and active persistence the race that is set before us, |
Bible Question:
Do any of you Bible teachers/pastors experience overwhelming discouragement and/or depression prior to you teaching/preaching? This has been an ongoing battle for me from the first of August when I truly believed the Lord wanted me to have a Bible study in my home. We are doing Beth Moore's study on the Fruit of the Spirit. Then last Frida, 3 days before the class, I developed a "sty" on my eyelid! I've never had one in my entire 57 yrs. of life! I'd appreciate honest answers and how you deal with this. I'm fully aware these are attacks of the enemy, but I can't seem to press through to victory. I end up cancelling the studies, which is so wrong, I know. |
Bible Answer: I experience this kind of thing when I preach and teach. Let it all drive you closer to the Lord. Pray for inner strength, not that the trials disappear. I seem to recall reading one old Puritan who said (may paraphrase), "Lack of troubles do not indicate strength. Quite the contrary. Lack of troubles means that God knows you are too weak to deal with them." Like Ed says, Paul went through many of these things. Tell the Lord your are going to continue teaching no matter what happens. Cry out to Him, asking Him to create in you the image of His Son. Then keep on trucking, Ma'am. The front lines are not always a pleasant place to be. But then, who cares? We are not there for our own pleasure, we are there because that is where our King is working! God bless you, sister. In Him, Doc |