Posts Tagged ‘Reinhold Niebuhr’

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Isaiah 49:1-7

The words of Isaiah, the prophet: “I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity” (Isa 49:4).

We’ve all been there, haven’t we?  In that valley of desolation and discouragement; that place where we start wondering if our efforts have made a difference, if they have been appreciated, if they’ve been worthwhile, if we’ve accomplished anything of value.  Isaiah is discouraged.  The people are in exile and all his efforts to redirect them to God have been met with indifference.  He feels like a failure.  “I have labored in vain,” he sighs, “I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity.”

Discouragement is something we all experience from time to time.  We may feel trapped in a dead-end job or a strained relationship, and have no sense of how to move forward.  We may be enduring a chronic illness, with no relief in sight.  We may find ourselves consumed with worry about our finances or our home or our work, and we wonder if things will ever get better.  A sense of hopelessness settles over us, and we despair of our future.  It’s difficult to imagine our circumstances improving and we’re not sure if we have the strength to go on. Read More