A Ten Foot Pole

Discouragement--The act of disheartening, or depriving of courage; the act of deterring or dissuading from an undertaking; the act of depressing confidence--Websters 1820 Dictionary

There's a voice in each of us that slanders our gifting or call. It tells us we'll never make it or the mountain is too high. It's a well honed voice crafted to such perfection that it's wielding never misses. It's called Discouragement.

It comes on the wings of a rejection letter or harsh critique from a trusted co-laborer. Or it comes slithering up from our own vain imaginations to keep us from taking the chance once again and putting ourselves out there.

From time to time this beast will wrap itself so tightly around our courage that we can't seem to function in even the most routine and mundane situations. And that's when we begin to question our gift.

The enemy of your soul would love nothing better than to neutralize you where you stand. To nullify your God-given calling. To strip you of everything God intended you to be.

Don't fall for it!

Sometimes you need to beat discouragement off with more than a large stick. Sometimes you need a ten foot pole, which is the only kind of stick I would touch it with.

2Corinthians 10:5 NIV Has this to say about our thought life.

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Take those thoughts, that tell you things contrary to what God has already said about you, captive.

You have been called to a holy calling. You have gotten this far. Take a look behind you. Remember when writing was only a dream? Now here you are, putting words onto paper electronically or otherwise. Some of you have attended conferences, joined critique groups, received rejection letters.

Praise God, you climbed a mountain!

Writing is hard and anyone who tells you different doesn't write for a living. It's just as hard for writers to write as it is for mechanics to fix cars, doctors to diagnose patients and teachers to teach a classroom of kids. It's work and nothing less.

James 4:7 tells us this:
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

So beat down that Discouragement, stop your whining and get back to work...YOU CAN DO IT!!! Because you refuse to give up.