克服挑戰的秘笈

薛孔偉牧師

讀經經文：提摩太後書一章一至七節

1 奉神旨意憑著在基督耶穌裡的 生命的應許，做基督使徒的保羅，

2 寫信給親愛的兒子提摩太，願恩惠、憐憫、平安從父神和我們的主基督耶穌臨到你。

3 我感謝神，就是我像我祖先一樣，以清潔的良心所事奉的神，在禱告中晝夜不斷地記念你；

4 一想起你流的眼淚，我就渴望見到你，好叫我滿有喜樂，

5 我記得這無偽的信心，原先是在你外祖母羅以和你母親友尼基心裡的，我深信也在你的心裡。

6 為了這個緣故，提醒你要把神藉著我按手給你的恩賜，像我一樣的在挑旺起來。

7 因為，神所賜給我們的不是一個膽怯的心，乃是有能力、仁愛、自律的。

因為還有一個月我們就要開始粵語崇拜，今天在我身邊的李弟兄多年來替我翻譯，這也是他替我翻譯的最後一次，特別在這時候，我想特別謝謝李羽田弟兄多年來忠心的服侍。 很多人都在思考翻譯的講道怎麼一回事？

一九七八年，史高‧派寫了一本書，中文翻譯是「心靈地圖」。這本書開始的一句話是：「生命是艱難的」，然後他繼續說：如果我們能接受這句話，那醫院裡一半的床位都會空出來，因為我們的身體，包括心靈的問題，都是因為我們不能接納生命是艱難的這件事實。

我相信大部份人都知道生命是艱難的，我們可以想到我們的家人沒辦法解決健康的問題、經濟衰弱對我們的打擊、一切我們看重的關係困擾，還有在工作場以及服事所遇到困難。

當我們面對這些困難後，我們會如何做呢？有些人會埋怨、退縮、甚至放棄。有些人，面對挑戰會更加有活力，想儘辦法克服生命中這個困難。也有一些人，遇到困難時、困境就會進入一種攻擊的心態。

從今天開始，與大家一起思考提摩太後書，這是保羅寫給提摩太的一封個人的信。這封信的背境，是在一個非常黑暗的時刻，保羅正在坐監，隨時等待士兵叫他的名字—處死。您有沒有想過在隨時要死的狀況之下生活呢？提摩太在這個服侍時，也遇到他的困難，如我們看提摩太前書時，知道在教會裡有異端，那些假的老師，我們不知道保羅在寫提摩太後書時問題解決了否。提摩太也在教會裡遇到一些攻擊他的人，這一些也影響到他的健康，在他教會的信徒，都像保羅一樣，受到羅馬政府的逼迫，提摩太本性是一個懦弱的人，或稱他為一個內向、安靜的人，他在他的教會裡，雖然他已四十多歲，當然仍然被人認為他是年輕的人，因此也有些人看不起他。我們不知道上面這些的處境，是否影響了提摩太。這個影響，開始在他的生命裡表現出來，那就是當他開始服侍的時候，火熱、火焰慢慢的在消失。

不知道您有沒有這種經歷：感到很低沈？灰心？或是您是屬於那種沒有任何事能令您灰心的人？或那種天要掉下來當被窩蓋的那種人？保羅寫給提摩太這封信，是寫給那一些感覺灰心的人、因著生命艱難，有點透不過氣來的人。因此當我們在讀這一封信時，我們要看一下，我們要如何克服在我們生命中的艱難？不但是我自己如何去克服，也讓我們能幫助我們身邊的人！

I •  我們因知道神的心意而得到鼓勵

如同保羅的其他書信，這一本書開始是保羅問安的話，他說：「奉神旨意憑著在基督耶穌裡的 生命的應許，做基督使徒的保羅，寫信給親愛的兒子提摩太，願恩惠、憐憫、平安從父神和我們的主基督耶穌臨到你。」今天早上，我們用稍為不同的方式，一起來看這二節問安的話語，保羅首先介紹自己，他是奉神旨意做使徒的那一位，這個意思是：「我所寫的一些、講的一些安慰、鼓勵的話語，都是從神那裡而來的，而不是出於人的智慧。」

當我們面對生命困難時，我們要學習要從神的視線來看我們的處境，要從神聖的角度來看，等我們安慰人的時候，也要從神的角度來安慰別人，不然的話，我們很容易從那些積極思想的人那裡，從他們那得到建議。我記得在我剛出來服侍的時候，以為自己看得多一點書，就可以用很多人的智慧來做輔導，後來，越來越體會如果這就是我鼓勵您的方式，您為何要來找牧師呢？去那裡都可以找到安慰、鼓勵您的人。但是，我們這些屬神的人，我們要知道我們與別人的差別在那裡呢？就在第一章的第一節：「奉神旨意的。」我們也想一下，這裡有神的旨意，相比的是什麼？相對的又是什麼？按著今天的文化，這裡是神的旨意，另一方面是我們所謂的幸福的生活。我想我們這裡國內的來的弟兄姊妹、朋友們，您都聽過、也知道。往往我們基督徒在潛意識裡，我們認為神的旨意，就是幫助我過一個「好的生活」。神的旨意使我能過一個幸福的生活，因此，當我的生活不幸福，有病痛、困難時，我就問：「神啊！祢在那裡？」

但是，我們要想一下，什麼是「神的旨意」？當保羅說我奉神的旨意寫信給你，他想到神的旨意。我相信我們都在尋找「神的旨意」？我們在說神啊！祢告訴我在我生命裡做什麼？神啊！祢告訴我這個教會的心意是什麼？祢的旨意是什麼？如果我們還記得，過去我們禮拜看的聖經，在彌迦書的第六章八節：「世人哪！ 耶和華已經指示你甚麼是善，祂向你所要的又是甚麼；無非是要你行公義，好憐憫，謙虛謹慎與你的神同行。」然後在帖撒羅尼迦前書四章三節：「神的旨意是要你們聖潔，遠避淫行。」彼得前書一章十五節：「那召你們的是聖潔的，在一切所行的事上，也要聖潔。」

在這些經文，包括其經文，讓我們清楚的知道神的心意、神的旨意是什麼？祂是要我們行公義，好憐憫，謙虛謹慎與你的神同行。祂要我們像祂一樣的聖潔，這是神的旨意。對我們在失望當中的人，是什麼意思呢？當我們看見我們所愛的人在長期的病痛中，這一句「奉神旨意」又是什麼樣作用呢？在這些的處境裡，我們要記住神所要的，是要我們行公義，好憐憫，謙虛、謙卑的與祂同行。就如有一個禱告，我非常的喜歡，有時我在聚會時也用的，這個禱告是：「當我在病痛、面對生命逆境時，求祢幫助我，好使我不要在言語、行為上得罪祢！」在每天早上教牧同工禱告會時，有時候，我們也會替弟兄姊妹禱告，我們會記念在病痛中、經濟困難當中、在各樣困難處境中，求神幫助您能脫離那個環境。但是，我們每一次禱告，我們都會做這樣的禱告，求神幫助這個群體的弟兄姊妹，在那困難的處境裡，使他們不要在言語、思想、行為得罪祢！這是不容易的，是不是？這就是神的心意！也因為這個 緣故，所以我們需要神的憐憫！需要神的恩典、需要神的平安！

II •  我們在關係中得到鼓勵

用一個正確的鼓勵是幫助我們以神的角度來看我們的世界。然後，在第三至第五節： 「我感謝神！就是像我祖先一樣，以清潔的良心所事奉的神在晝夜的記念你，一想起你流的眼淚，我就渴望見到你，好叫我滿有喜樂，我記得這無偽的信心，原先是在你外祖母羅以和你母親友尼基心裡的，我深信也在你的心裡。 」 當保羅要鼓勵提摩太時，保羅提出了三個提摩太要注意的關係— 與神的關係 、 與家的關係 、 與朋友的關係 。讓我們看一下保羅怎麼樣鼓勵提摩太呢？

1 •  我們與神的關係

首先他提到提摩太和神的關係，保羅是以自己為開始，這裡他說他被關在監獄裡，不是因為他犯了罪，不是犯了國家的法律，乃是因為他憑著無虧的良心在服事他的神！他又提到提摩太那個無偽、真誠的信心。當我們聽到「信心」這兩個字時，我們要停下來問一下，什麼叫做「信心」，「信心」這兩個字，每個人都用過，有時候，我感覺到每一個人用「信心」的涵意都是不一樣的，雖然用同一樣的字，但個人的意義是不同的。在聖經裡面，講到「信心」乃是指著您相信那一位神！相信那位權能的神！您相信那位創造天地宇宙的神！您相信那位照顧我們、又管理我們的神！

當我們面對困難時，我們最容易做的事，就是回到很熟悉的行為、態度上，又有些人就開始會埋怨神，或埋怨其他人。有時，對那些我們認為造成我們困擾的人，我們會有苦毒、怨恨。或者有時候，我們會 陷入自我可憐的狀況，然後我們會退縮，或者我們好希望有人瞭解我們、同情我們，當我自己在說，我好可憐的時候，我巴不得您走到我身邊，也跟我說：「薛牧師！你好可憐！」但是，也有一些人，可能採取攻擊的狀況。當我們這樣做的時候，我們就該問：「等一下，神在那裡？信心又在那裡？」

當然，我們總記得神！。在這種的困境裡，我們好希望這位神能直接介入，然後搖一下祂那魔術杖，就將所有的困難都除掉，或做一個禱告，我的問題就會解決了。或者我們找個會禱告的人，一經過他禱告，問題就解決了。當我們這樣期望神直接戲劇化介入時，您有沒有這樣想過？這是不是好像撒旦對耶穌的試探呢？如果祢是神的兒子，祢就把石頭變成麵包；如果祢是神的兒子，祢就能夠從這高處跳下來而不會受傷。撒旦更要耶穌做的是什麼？這麼戲劇化的作為，楊腓利這樣寫：「當我們這樣要求神！有一種戲劇化方式介入我們的生命，就使我們好像嗅到一種味道—那就是撒旦試探耶穌的那種樣式」我們所要記住的—信心，相信這一位神！在我生命裡有祂的主權！不單是祂有主權、掌管、祂也控制了我生命裡的事情，愉快的事、開心的事、也包括了那些不開心的事。有些時候，祂按著祂的心意會介入，很戲劇化的介入我們的生命，但我們更熟悉的是，祂往往的安靜的塑造我們，使我們越來越像祂—耶穌基督！我相信大家都很熟悉這一位瓊莉—坐在輪椅上這位畫家，她在少年時，在一次游泳意外的使她半身癱瘓。那天晚上她要去游泳池，當她一跳出跳板時，她才發現游泳池內沒有水，因為這個緣故，她就一生坐在輪椅上。最近她又得了乳癌，又開始對癌症對抗。在一次訪問時，她說她越來越學會不再質問神「如果祢是神的話，為什麼這件事發生在我身上？如果祢是神的話，祢為什麼不直接的介入？讓我離開輪椅、直接將我醫好、除掉我的癌症」。她學習不再向神質問，乃是學習跟神說：「主啊！這是艱難的事，因為這些病痛，祢要我學習什麼樣的功課？因著這樣的病痛，祢要我成為一個怎樣的人？」當我們在苦難的當中、灰心時，讓我們記得，如今天所唱的歌「神是我的巖石，是我的山寨、是我的磐石、是我的盾牌、是我救恩的角、是我的力量！」這就是我們的信心！

2 •  我們與家人的關係

第二，保羅提醒提摩太，他 的家人是怎麼樣影響了他？首先是他的祖母及她的母親。任何好的傳記，都是從這個主角的家庭開始，看一些中國的連續劇、包括韓國的連續劇、好的電影、好的傳記的書，都用很長的篇幅講到主角的家庭、父母親、兄弟姊妹怎麼樣？往往我們的家庭、原生家庭會影響我們以後成為一個怎樣一個人！

這裡保羅提醒提摩太，你要記得你的祖母、母親，她們如何的將信仰傳給了你，幫助你在信心上建立一個好的基礎。我想起一個年青的傳道人，他在服事的過程裡，有好多的困難，他所遇見的，是在西方沒有想像到的，如果我用我自己最熟悉的方式來對他說話：算了吧！不要做傳道人，去做你以前那一行吧！然後在談話時，我也問：「你父母對你有什麼看法？」他說他們非常的支持我，經常鼓勵我，要我不要放棄、要我持守下去，有著這樣的父母，我們要感謝神！

我們當中也有人會這樣說：「你有這樣的父母很好，有這樣的祖母很好，但我沒有這樣的父母。」反而我的父母會這樣說：「你看！我不是早就告訴你了嗎？叫你不要去做教會工作、在教會裡不要做這個職份、你看！你就不聽我，搞到你現在這個樣子。」很多 時候，我們的父母會讓已經不好的處境中，變成更加的不好。然後我們再來看，如果您沒有父母、沒有父母的支持、沒有父母在信仰上幫助您站得更穩，那您怎麼辦？

3 •  我們與朋友的關係

讓我們來看一下第三至第五節的字句：「我在禱告中晝夜不斷的記念你，一想起跟你流的眼淚，我就渴望著見祢。」保羅在這裡是指著某一個時候，他和 提摩太分手，提摩太眼中的眼淚，保羅現在還記得，保羅說我好想看見你！因為當我看見你的時候，我也能夠喜樂，因為，我坐在監牢裡，隨時在等死！有時候，我不一定有這個喜樂，感覺到失去了一些東西。如果能夠見到你，那有多好。後來保羅又表達，我多希望你在冬天來到之前，將我那些書把它帶來，也把我那件外衣也帶來。在這裡所看見的是什麼？是反應出很密切的關係，就像好朋友一樣的關係。

當你灰心時，想一想你身邊的朋友，或你有的那些朋友，我們是否也是如此。當我們灰心時、失望時，我們多希望有一些朋友來到我們的身邊，坐在你身邊聆聽，他們不一定有答案，或他們根本不知道用什麼方法來安慰我。但，我們所需要，就是坐在我們旁邊、或坐在電腦那一邊，在那裡聆聽。當有人來跟我說：「牧師！我想與您講一些事，本來我很不想的，但是我現在覺得心裡面很灰心、難過，但是因為我在教會裡，沒有人可以會聽我講，所以我要來找您。」當我聽見這些話，非常不好受，我們都知道孤單這種痛苦滋味，當您一個人時。但您知道嗎？有一種孤單，比一個人更孤單更難受，就是在很多人當中，您感覺到一個也沒有、只有您一個人！那種的孤單是外人不能體會的。我時常想，我們這個教會很大、人很多，人家一問這個教會，啊！你們這裡的人數很多。但是，在人多的地方，有人說：「我在這裡沒有一個朋友！沒有一個人可以聽我說。」這個好傷我們的心！我們的禱告：「求 神使我、您能夠成為另一個人的朋友。也求神！將一位孤單的人，帶到您的身邊來。」

III •  我們在責任中得到鼓勵

現在我們來看第 六至七節：「為了這個緣故，提醒你要把神藉著我按手給你的恩賜，像我一樣的在挑旺起來。因為，神所賜給我們的不是一個膽怯的心，乃是有能力、仁愛、自律的。」保羅怎麼樣鼓勵提摩太？提到在提摩太的事奉裡有一件事，這件事可能是發生在提摩太的早期，在那時刻，藉著保羅按手在提摩太的身上，提摩太得到了聖靈的恩賜，開始了他的服事，在那時刻，提摩太服事的心，好像火一樣的在燃燒，當保羅在寫這封信的時候，那份燃燒的火，已經慢慢的暗下來了，再也看不到。所以，保羅和提摩太說：你要記得過去的事情，然後現在要把這些炭上的灰撥掉，使這火焰再一次的燃燒起來。

保羅很溫柔的在提醒提摩太，並沒有責備他。不是說，提摩太你要記住當初你開始是怎麼樣的，怎麼現在你可以這個樣子？保羅並沒有用這種嚴肅的話，而是用很溫柔的聲音提醒他，當時給你的祝福、就是給你的責任，千萬不可忘記。我想到我們當中的長老、執事們，您們還記得每一年就職的時候，你都有一個承諾，你要忠心執行神託付給你的責任，您要以身作則帶領會眾，儘您所能維持教會的純潔、和平、合一、和對教會的造就。如果我們當中如有做傳道的，當我們在這個教會就職時，我們也一樣的承諾，我們要帶著「要帶著愛和牧者的心」來帶領這個教會。我記得當我被按立為牧師的時候，我的教授是這樣的囑咐、吩咐我「薛孔偉，做一個神話語的傳遞者」最近，我太太又提醒我，你還記得當時羅本博士又講的一句，他用的是以賽亞書九章，「你要做神話語的傳遞者」，但你要記得，人聽是聽見了，但是卻沒有聽進去，你不要以為做神話語的傳遞者，你一講人就聽、人家就跟你。當我在很難的處境裡、失望時，我會記得這句話。

保羅沒有告訴提摩太，怎麼樣將炭灰撥掉，我好想保羅告訴提摩太，我就知道要一、二、三、四。但是，保羅沒有告訴他，如果您在跟著這幾段經文思維的話，當您失望時，回到神那裡、回到您的家裡、回到您朋友那裡，當您這樣做的時候，您已經開始慢慢的脫離了這個失望。然後，保羅又跟提摩太說，要把這些炭灰撥掉的緣因，炭灰還在，火就燒不起來，您就是一個弱的人、一個膽怯的人。所以保羅提醒提摩太，神給你的那個靈是有能力的，是仁愛、自律的。所以，提摩太你不要怕、要剛強，因為因為在裡面的那個靈，不是一個軟弱，乃是有能力、有愛、自我控制的靈。

我們簡單的看，誰不喜歡權利？當然您可能會說你對權利一點興趣也沒有，我也會這樣說，但是，這是真的嗎？當您一邊說，我對權利沒有興趣，您試試看？如果您說話，人家不聽，您會怎麼樣？您心裡不舒服，為什麼？因為您想要的權，您沒有！您想要人聽您，人家不聽。您不高興，原因就因為您還是期望有那能力、那個權利。我想我們都知道，單單有能力是十分危險，如果您不照著我的意思，那我就不能跟您配搭，我們聽過這種話。在西方環境裡，聽到這樣的話：權利會導致腐敗，絕對權利就有絕對腐敗。我們看到很多在中東的改革，也就是這個緣因—絕對的權利導致絕對的腐敗。如果光是愛的話，變成一個感情主義，什麼都無所謂了，只要愛就行，失去了原則、界線。然後自律呢？這裡是自我的控制，光是自律的話，我們就變成非常有原則，那就是變成了冷冰冰了，事情一定要這樣，沒有任何改變、沒有改變的餘地。因為這個緣故，保羅提醒提摩太在我們的責任裡，我們要記得要有能力、仁愛、自律，要有平衡，當我們有平衡的時候，就能幫助我們在逆境中站立得穩，當我們有愛的時候，我們能夠愛那些不喜歡我們的人，當我們自律的時候，我們會控制那不健康的情緒及不健康情緒帶出來的不健康行為。

生命是艱難的，有時看到兄弟姊妹所遭遇的，就好像您在一個很狹窄山洞裡走路，裡面有火車軌道，您在上面走，走了很久還沒有看見前面的出口。然後突然間，看見光、亮了，好高興，這個山路就要走過去，那曉得，這個亮光，沒想到是迎面來的火車頭的燈光，您有沒有覺得生命就是這樣！一個個不停的困難。

當我在看這一封書時，好像失去了一些東西。作者沒有告訴我們提摩太聽見這些話後，有沒有改變。可能保羅不知道，如果有另外一個人加一、兩句話，提摩太因為聽見了保羅的話，提摩太就變成剛強大膽，克服了他所有的困難，從那時起，生命再也沒有任何失望、灰心的時刻。如果有這句話，大概我們的重點都放在提摩太身上，大概很多的書就開始出現了。克服困難的步驟一、二、三，在十分鐘之內學會困難。也許也有些提摩太的形象，每個人口袋裡放一個，因為有了這一個，就能克服所有的困難。但是，沒有！因為聖經的重點，不是要我們看提摩太是多麼偉大的英雄，乃是要我們學習，當我們在困難的時候，我們將我們的注意力放在神的身上，這就是聖經的整個目的。

當您在灰心時，如果您只看自己，自憐，希望朋友來跟您一起的可憐您，好糟糕！為什麼我知道，因為有時候我就是這樣！我會埋怨，神祢為什麼把帶在這裡？我就是不喜歡這裡，夏天熱得要命，為什麼我當時來面試的時候，沒有夏天來？教會也特別不安排我夏天來，安排最好的時間—十一月、十二月、一月，那時候曉士頓的天氣誰不喜歡？試試看夏天來面試，有多少人會留下來？埋怨這、埋怨那，當我在這些自我可憐時，神就對我說：「薛孔偉！不要忘記卅年前發生的事！不要忘記您周圍的人對你的幫助！不要忘記我給你那個靈，不是一個膽怯的靈，是有能力、仁愛、自律的靈！」

Date:   03/06/2011

Text:   2 Timothy 1:1-7

Title:   Overcoming Difficulties in Life

Theme: Since God is the source of encouragement, we can find resources in Him when we face difficulties in life.

Introduction:

  In 1978, Scott Peck published a best-selling book called, “The Road Less Traveled”. The opening sentence is simply this: Life is difficult. He went on to say that if we can accept this, then half of the hospital wards will be emptied. Our physical and psychological problems are frequently due to the fact that people cannot accept that life is difficult.

  I trust most of us know that life is difficult. We think of those unresolved health issues of our loved ones, the impact of economic hard times on us, and difficulties in our relationships with someone we care. Then there are also those challenges at work and in our various ministries.

  What do we do when we face them? Some of us will complain, withdraw and even quit. Others will be energized by such challenges and find ways to overcome while some may switch to the attack mode.

  Beginning today, we will study the book of 2 Timothy. This is a very personal letter from Paul to Timothy. It was written in the context of a dark situation. Paul was imprisoned and waiting for his name called to be executed anytime. Can you imagine living with that kind of anticipation? Timothy was also in trouble in ministry. There were heretics in his church. He faced opposition in his church. This may have affected his health. The believers, like Paul, were persecuted by the Roman Empire. Timothy was naturally timid, or what we may call an introvert and quiet person. He was considered young in the Ephesian church where he was serving. We are not sure if any of these factors might have caused him to manifest what was externally noticeable. That is, the flame of his ministerial office had dimmed. It had lost its glow.

Do we ever feel this low and discouraged? Or you are always upbeat about everything in life. Paul’s letter to Timothy is for those who feel discouraged, and overwhelmed by difficulties in life and ministry. In this letter, we want to know how we can overcome those difficulties in life, and how we can encourage and help each other in the family of God.

I •  Encouragement is based on a proper world view.

In all of Paul’s letters, he begins with salutation. “ 1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus, 2 To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 奉　神旨意，憑著在基督耶穌裡的生命的應許，作基督耶穌使徒的保羅， 2 寫信給親愛的兒子提摩太，願恩惠、憐憫、平安從父　神和我們的主基督耶穌臨到你。 ” This morning I want to unpack verses 1-2 from a different perspective. Paul introduced himself calling himself to be an apostle by God’s will. Therefore, these encouraging words are from God and not human wisdom.

  When facing life’s challenges, we are to approach them from God, the divine perspective. If we miss this, we can simply just go to one of the positive thinking advocates and get advice from them. What makes us unique are the words: “by the will of God.” Let’s pause and ask, what stands against this will of God? In our present day culture, it is the ‘good life’. To many of us, good life is worry and pain free. As Christians, we even subtly feel that God’s will is to help us achieve a life with little or no hardships.

However, what is the will of God? In our reading of the scriptures, we seem to get a different picture. In Micah 6:8, “ 8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? 世人哪！耶和華已經指示你甚麼是善，他向你所要的又是甚麼；無非是要你行公義，好憐憫，謙虛謹慎與你的　神同行 ” then there is also 1Thessalonians 4:3, “ 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 神的旨意是要你們聖潔，遠避淫行； ” 1Peter 1:15, “ 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.. 那召你們的既是聖潔的，你們在一切所行的事上也要聖潔。 ” This is God’s will for us; that we do justice, full of kindness and humbly walk with God. God’s will is that we be holy as he is.

  So what does this mean to us in times of discouragement? What does it mean when we find ourselves or our loved ones in prolonged sickness or difficult situations? We are to remember what God wants of us is to do justice, be kind, be holy and walk humbly before him. It is like the prayer that I have often used both in public and in private: when I am sick or face adversities in life, I pray that you will help me not to sin against you in words and deeds. Even though we find ourselves under the pressure of adverse situations, people may not like us or cooperate with us, when there seems to be no end to our problems, we remember that God wants us to be holy, to do justice and walk humbly with him. He wants us to love God and men. This is difficult, right? And for this reason, we need God’s grace, mercy and peace.

II •  We are to find Encouragement in our heritage.

Proper encouragement begins with God. in verses 3-5, “ 3 I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4 As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. 3 我感謝　神，就是我像我祖先一樣，以清潔的良心所事奉的　神，在禱告中晝夜不斷地記念你； 一想起你流的眼淚，我就渴望見你，好叫我滿有喜樂。 5 我記得你心裡無偽的信心，這信心原先是在你外祖母羅以和你母親友尼基心裡的，我深信也在你的心裡。 ” In his attempt to encourage Timothy, Paul in this long sentence called Timothy’s attention to three relationships: with God, with family and with friends. How did Paul try to encourage Timothy?

First, he reminded Timothy of his relationship with God. Paul began with himself. He was in prison not because he was a criminal, but because he was serving God with a clear conscience. He then mentioned Timothy’s sincere faith. What is faith? Believing in a God who cares and rules over us.

When facing difficulties, it is easy for us to fall back on our most familiar behavior and attitude. Some may start to blame God or everyone in sight. Others may be bitter and resentful towards the people that bring about such discouragements. Or we may indulge in self-pity and withdraw, or do the opposite by switching to an attack mode. But wait, where is God, or where is our faith?

Yes, we remember God, but we want him to intervene, swing his magic wand and take all our troubles away. Come to think of this, doesn’t this sound like the temptations Satan threw at Jesus? If you are the son of God, you can change the stone into bread; you can jump down from the height and will not get hurt. Philip Yancey wrote, “when we ask God to intervene in a dramatic way, it remotely smells like the temptations hurled at Jesus.” The faith we are to remember is the faith that believes in a God who is sovereign over my life. Not only is he sovereign, He is also in control of all the events in life, including the pleasant and unpleasant ones. There are times He would intervene, but more likely he would quietly mold and shape us into His likeness. We are familiar with the story of Joni Erickson Tada. She was a quadriplegic since her teenage years. And recently she has been fighting cancer. She wrote that she had learned that instead of asking, God , if you are really God, why don’t you intervene? Instead we may need to ask, Lord, it is difficult, what do you want me to learn and become because of these ailments? In times of discouragement, it is good to remember that our God is our rock, our shelter, fortress, our strength and our shield. This is our faith.

Secondly, Paul reminds Timothy of how his family had influenced him. There was his grandmother, then his mother. Any good biography would begin with the subject’s family influence. In many good movies, Asian soap operas, they begin with the main character’s family, parents and siblings. Timothy’s grandmother and mother were instrumental in building that foundational faith in his life. I think of a young minister who was experiencing great challenges in ministry. He was disappointed and depressed. When asked how his parents would see his situation, he said they were very supportive and encouraging. We are to thank God for our parents.

However, many of us feel that we don’t get that kind of support. Sometimes parents would say, “see, I told you not to go into ministry or take up that position in this church, you wouldn’t listen to me. Now, look at the mess you are in.” They would make a bad situation even worse. Let’s take a look at some of the words used in this long sentence: I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day; as I remember your tears, I long to see you, I may be filled with joy when I see you again; I am reminded of your faith…. These are words revealing an intimate relationship, and close friendship. Timothy may have been feeling lonely, just as Paul was feeling lonely and longing to meet him. Paul wanted Timothy to remember the close relationship they had.

Isn’t this is also true with us? when discouraged and disappointed, we need a friend to come beside us and listen. They may not give us any solutions, but they can be there listening to us. I feel sad when individuals share with me that they have no friends in this church when they are in trouble. To feel lonely in times of trouble in a church with so many people is a terrible feeling. It is my desire that each of us will ask God to help us to be a friend to someone. Pray that God will bring a lonely, troubled person into our lives.

III •  We find encouragement in our Responsibility.

Now we come to verses 6,7, “ 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 6 為了這緣故，我提醒你，要把　神藉著我按手給你的恩賜，像火一樣再挑旺起來。 7 因為　神所賜給我們的，不是膽怯的靈，而是有能力、仁愛、自律的靈。 ” How did Paul encourage him? Paul mentioned a moment in Timothy’s ministry; it appeared to be at the beginning. It was the moment that Timothy received certain spiritual gifts from God. At that time, Timothy was all fired up. But by the time Paul wrote this letter, this fire had dimmed. So Paul asked Timothy to remember this occasion, and dust off the ashes so it will burn brightly again.

Paul was gently reminding Timothy of the charge, the responsibility given to him years ago when he first started his ministry. I think of the elders and deacons, when you were installed at the beginning of each year, you agreed to faithfully perform all the duties entrusted to you as a servant, to lead this congregation by being examples for them, and to strive for the purity, peace, unity and edification of the Church. To those of us ministers, we also remember when we were installed in this church, we had also agreed to serve this congregation with love and a shepherd heart. I remember when I was first ordained, my professor charged me to be a preacher of the word. He also reminded me that people will hear God’s word but not listen. Some of us also remember the excitement when we first served as a small group leader or a leader of the steering committee. In difficult moments, we are to remember this.

Paul did not really tell Timothy how to dust off. But, if we have been following this trend of thought in these few verses, something becomes clear. In our disappointment and discouragement, we turn to God and friends, and family, we begin to climb out of this state, right? Paul then goes on to give Timothy the reason for such to dust off the ashes. God gives us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. Don’t be timid, don’t be afraid, Timothy. Why, because the spirit in you is not timidity, but power, love and self-control.

We want to briefly look at them. Who doesn’t like power. We may say we have no interest in power. But don’t we want others to listen to us and become frustrated when they don’t? We actually would like to have the power so others will listen to us. but with power alone, it is dangerous. It is my way or the highway. We have heard these words; power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Then there is love. If it is love alone, it can be sentimentalism. Everything is about love without any boundaries and principles. As long as we love each other, then everything is fine. How about self control, or discipline? Again, if it is discipline alone, we can be very principled but cold. Things must be done in a certain way. For this reason, Paul reminded Timothy and us that we are to carry out our responsibilities with a good balance of power, love and self-control. It will help us to stand up against the adversity, love those who may not like us and exercise control over our negative emotions and unhealthy behaviors.

Conclusion:

In these few verses, Paul reminded Timothy and us that when we feel discouraged about ministry, about relationship, we are to go back to the basics. Above all else, go back to God and look at life from God’s perspective. We are to review our relationships with people around us. Lastly, remember what it was like when we first started out in ministry. Are we being intimidated by oppositions or difficult situations? Don’t let these elements scare us. God has given us a spirit of power, love and self-control.

In Scott Peck’s book, the Road Less Traveled, he began with the line that life is difficult. The following are the section headings in the rest of the book: Discipline, Love, Growth and Religion (faith), and grace. Isn’t this what Paul is writing about? Life is difficult, for this reason, we need God’s power, grace, mercy and peace to sustain us.