Are You Discouraged?

1 Thessalonians 5:11 (New International Version)

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Alexander Solzhenitsyn is one of the leading Russian writers of the 20th century. He was born in Kislovodsk on December 11, 1918. A brilliant student, he graduated from the University of Rostov-on-Don majoring in physics and mathematics. He served in the Red Army and rose to the rank of Captain. In 1945 he was arrested after writing critical remarks in a letter to a friend. He was sentenced to eight years of hard labor. In 1950, he was transferred to the most dreaded labor camp in Kazakhstan. In 1952, with less than a year to go to his release, Alexander was losing hope. Weakened from the years of beatings and malnutrition, he came up with a plan. He would end it all by stopping his work and letting the guards beat him to death. Alexander leaned on his shovel, but as he did, a Christian prisoner next to him quickly drew a cross in the dirt at Alexander's feet. Then as just as quickly, the man erased it before a guard could see it. Alexander was a believer, and he later wrote that he was energized by that man's silent act of encouragement to remind him of his hope in Christ.

Are you discouraged? Look to the Lord, for He is our eternal hope! Today in prayer, give all of your discouragements and sadness to Jesus and He will strengthen you with hope.

Dear Lord we pray the when we are discouraged that we would turn it all over to You. We also pray that we would be an encouragement to those around us that need the encouragement today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.