Discouragement: Running From My Past

Keep Me Running…From The Sins I Can’t Erase, once you compromise your soul…your lost in the desert.

We face times in our life when we are discouraged and despairing because our future seems so uncertain. Life may be falling apart as a result of our own wrong decisions (like Jacob in our Scripture) or things could have gone a rye through no fault of our own – just the result of living in a fallen world. Either way we a down and out.

Doubt, Discouragement and Uncertainty can affect aspects of or lives. Uncertain about our Ability. Uncertain about material needs being met in personal relationships, or our, physical health even ourmental stability. So we retreat. Pull back. Afraid of what will happen next.

Doubt, Discouragement and Uncertainty they rob us – steal from us – who we once were. The thing is:that when this happens to us we are in a sense – mourning – for we have lost something. Remember a time when you were so sure, so sure about things, so sure about your faith, but now its gone, or at least some is missing?

This morning we are going to focus on being down and out when it is a result of our own poor decisions. Fact is something may have happened in your life and by all counts, you may deserve what is happening to you or you may think you deserve it. But you know – God has good news for you. In our times of despair, worry, uncertainty and loss god is there to lift us up - And it doesn’t matter whether we deserve it or not, even if by all counts we have blown it, sinned, were wrong, foolish, disobedient - whatever you can think of. God will be there – to lift you up.

As we continue to look at the Story of Abraham’s family, we find Jacob running from his sins. For years he planed and conspired to get everything in life.And he did it. He accomplished his goal.And lost it all at the same time

We saw a couple of weeks ago that using ungodly means for gain results in spiritual failure. This is what Jacob has done. He has cheated his brother out of his birthright. Conspired to fool his father. Stole his brothers blessing. He has completely destroyed his family. He will never again see his mother – who he loves so. His father is furious, and cannot trust him again. His brother is sworn to revenge and is waiting to kill him. He has compromised his soul…and now he is lost in the desert.

He had it all – right in his hands. He was on top of the world – it could only get better.

Ever felt that way? God, everything was fine. I was doing great. I worked hard for it.Now it is all lost. Poof. Why would you let this happen to me?

Sure that is what Jacob is thinking as he runs from home. His life has fallen apart. He had created a life for himself – that he was comfortable with but it wasn’t the life God wanted for him. God doesn’t want deception, lies, grabbing for power. God wants what is good, healthy, true. Ever consider that? Perhaps I wasn’t leading the life God wanted me to lead. Perhaps he has something better in mind.

Jacob is running from his sins – that he can’t erase. Maybe if he runs far enough – they won’t follow. Keep Me Running….From the Shadow Of My Life....When you hit rock bottom – build. But your past always follows you does’t it? Everything we do follows us through life – and into death. People who think everything that they have done in this life disappears when they die, are in for a shock. You’re the same person you are now – only standing before God and it is going to follow Jacob.

See Jacob is really running from his sins. What he does we do too. We may not physically run but we pull back from relationships, responsibilities, from prayer and hope. It’s true isn’t it?

He traveled about 70 miles of 450 to Haran in three days – he’s moving, running from the shadow of his life - His brother might be following, out to take his life.

Verse 11 – he reaches a certain place, it is dark. He had no clue where he was. Jacob is in a no man’s land between his old life – and who knows what. Between his sin and paying for it. He is not sure what is next, but boy he is exhausted.

Been there. Not sure why things are going the way they are. It’s neither here nor there, I can’t move forward in life, I just have to wait –