In recent years, domestic and racial tension is probably the highest than it’s ever been in our nation. Everywhere you scroll and, on every page, you read death, death, and more death. It’s difficult to consistently maintain a positive measure of encouragement when it’s persistently being drowned out by the billowing waves of discouragement. Thankfully, we serve a God that takes what the enemy meant for bad and turns it around for our good and his glory. I Corinthians 10:13 reminds us,” No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” Discouragement is a temptation that is “common to man”. And sometimes as deal with it we need tenderness and other times we need toughness. But either way discouragement is not to be tolerated, festered or wallowed in. It’s to be fought and not with human hands! Fact is, when we feel discouraged, we want comfort, which is right to feel. But the comfort we often turn to are more self-rewarding and self-gratifying. The recent senseless, untimely, and unnecessary death of George Floyd is yet another burning log thrown in the bonfire of social, racial, and ethnic inequality. When will these flames of injustice be finally extinguished? When will we as God children realize that hate cannot drive out hate? When we will look past skin tone and ethnic backgrounds and realize this a spiritual battle we are fighting!! People are not the enemy!!! Ephesians 6:12-13 clearly distinguishes this difference, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.” At the end of the day and top of the morning, prayer is our weapon to win. I know some of you reading this may be saying, “How long shall we keep praying?” Well, the short answer is, “Until something happens.” God isn’t sleep! He sees, he knows, and he cares about the struggles and challenges we endure every day. God doesn’t want us to take matters into our own hands rather, he prefers that we take all matters and place them at the foot of the cross! I know it’s not easy but we can’t succumb to the hand of the enemy by tolerating discouragement to ‘rule the roost’. Yes, we all want to see justice served and this will happen in time but right now this family and our nation needs our prayers for comfort, peace, strength, and healing! My prayers are with Floyd’s family and a host of friends some of which I know personally that loved him dearly! Big Floyd you exhaled your last breath of carnality and instantaneously you inhaled your first breath of eternity in the arms of Jesus Christ and your beloved mother who was also there waiting for you to come home!