Discouragement's Heights. . .

"And everyone went to his own house. 

But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives." John 8:1

     When all the crowds went away after arguing with Christ about who He is and who He claimed to be, we read that everyone returned to their home, except Jesus. Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. That is all the text says, that He "Went to the Mount of Olives", what do you think He did there? The common guess would be that He went there to be alone with the Father, to be with the One who had sent Him. Do you think His heart was discouraged by the present reaction of the people? Their ignorance and lack of faith? I do. I see here, my example, in the times of discouragement in ministry, getting alone before the Father, and not only just to turn His eyes to Him in discouragement, but the place He went, so powerful…the Mount of Olives. It is not the only time we would find Him there in the face of rejection, a foreshadow of the beloved self-sacrificing, laborious prayer within a garden on that mount, the night Jesus journeyed to the cross. He did not just count the cost moments before the cross was to be born upon His shoulders, but He labored for the cross all His time upon earth. He knew the cost that would be required of Him within such a garden, for such a people months down the road; yet still, He would resort to that very place in the midst of discouragement. 

Do i need to say anything more? His example speaks the lessons for us this day.

Where do I turn in the midst of discouragement? Do I get down and begin to entertain thoughts of giving up, walking away, dwelling in the rejection?

Or do I turn it into prayer, recognizing the cost I committed to, because of what He first committed for me, turn to the I AM and continue in the work He has set before me to do?

Ministry is hard, laborious, costly, and can hurt, but He who cannot lie has promised us that it is only a momentary light affliction that is not worthy to be compared to what awaits those who labor in and for Him (2 Cor. 4:17, Rom. 8:18). Eternity is coming…we will soon see Him face to face, see Him return upon such a mount, and establish His kingdom forevermore.