Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 1358 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Do Not Lose Heart – Ask Gramps

Wisdom – the final frontier to true knowledge. Welcome to Wisdom-Trek where our mission is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before.

Hello, my friend, I am Guthrie Chamberlain, your captain on our journey to increase wisdom and create a living legacy. Thank you for joining us today as we explore wisdom on our 2nd millennium of podcasts. This is Day 1358 of our trek and time for our Philosophy Friday series. Each Friday, we ponder some of the fundamental truths and mysteries of life and how they can impact us in creating our living legacy.

As we continue on this trek called life, sometimes we have questions about life, so our Friday trek is a time when we can “Ask Gramps.” Gramps will answer questions that you would like to ask your dad or granddad, but for whatever reason, you are unable to. No matter how old we are, I know that all of us would like the opportunity to ask Dad or Gramps questions about life in many areas.

We may mix it up a bit on our Friday episodes, but we will strive to keep them down to earth and enjoyable. If you have any questions that you would like to ask Gramps, please email them to guthrie@wisdom-trek.com.

So the question for this week is…

“Hey, Gramps, this Covid-19 virus has people in a tizzy, and there is so much uncertainty. Now that the social distancing guidelines are being extended at least through the end of April, this is a significant setback for most and a continued disruption in life as we know it. What advice do you have that will give us hope and encouragement during these uncertain days?”

Do Not Lose Heart!

I doubt that anyone listening to these words would take exception to the title “Do Not Lose Heart!” I am sure you do not mean to lose heart. You do not want to lose heart. You know that you should not lose heart. Although you may know this situation will be over eventually, you have a hard time convincing your heart. So you may find yourself: losing heart, or at least you feel like you may be losing heart.

You have so many plans and dreams for this year, and now they seem to be fading. You think about opportunities that may pass by or never come to fruition. You may see these current obstacles as too significant and too powerful to overcome. You face problems that seem to have no solution. You feel the pressure, you are perplexed, and you feel you are being attacked on every side by an unseen foe. You are afraid that if you are knocked down any further, you may not be able to get back up. You may feel weak, tired, and defeated.

What are you going to do?

What can you do?

Let’s start with what the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:7-12.

We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.  We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.  We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.  Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies.  So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.

Does that sound like you, your family, your neighbors, and friends? At least does this part sound like you?

• pressed on every side
• perplexed
• driven to despair
• hunted down
• abandoned
• knocked down

Do those parts of Paul’s words sound familiar? What about the other aspect of our situation today? The positive things, such as resetting your hectic pace of life. Investing much more time with your family. Learning how to cook together. Taking walks or hikes together. Playing games together. Reading together. Worshipping together. How about, as a family, reaching out to those who are less fortunate through cards, calls, emails, dropping off supplies that may be needed? These acts are acts of your faith, showing through your deeds.

We are all in this together, worldwide. Instead of losing heart, share your heart with those that you can right now. Within time, we will all get through this, and we will be better because of it. This Covid-19 situation has the potential to change the world in many significant ways. When we are able to once again return to a somewhat healthy life, then we need to seek out those who are in need more than ever.

Let me share the additional words from the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.

That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.  For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!  So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

Do these words help?

Does it help to know that we are all in this situation together, all over the world?

Do you find any comfort in knowing that you are all experiencing the same difficulties? Does it help to know that this too will pass?

Maybe? Maybe not? I know. I have been there.

Before you quit, take a deep breath. Before you slump off into depression and hopelessness because you still cannot figure out how to fix all the stuff that is wrong in your world, let me share this third paragraph that fits between the other two. This passage is where Paul reveals the reason he does not lose heart in 2 Corinthians 4:13-15, “But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, ‘I believed in God, so I spoke.’ We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.”

Did you see it?

It is right there in the middle of the paragraph. One sentence:

We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you.

That is the secret. That is the key. That is what can keep us from losing heart. Look up. Look at Jesus. Rely on the fact that He will raise us up. Our struggles show that the Gospel is at work in us. Our difficulties will be turned into His glory. There is a lot we cannot see if we stay focused only on what we can see. The Covid-19 pandemic is temporary stuff. We are about the eternal.

I pray that through our faith in Jesus Christ, who will raise us up, we will not lose heart.

That is a wrap for today’s question. Join us again next Friday for another question on our Ask Gramps episode. Our next trek is Mediation Monday, where we will help you reflect on what is most important in life. So encourage your friends and family to join us and then come along on Monday for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy.

If you would like to listen to any of the past 1357 daily treks or read the associated journals, they are all available at Wisdom-Trek.com. I encourage you to subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on your favorite podcast player so that each day will be downloaded to you automatically.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most importantly, your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal.

As we take this trek together, let us always:

1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
2. Love Unconditionally
3. Listen Intentionally
4. Learn Continuously
5. Lend to others Generously
6. Lead with Integrity
7. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you on Monday!