In today’s episode we’re going to talk about discouragement and how we can overcome it.
We all get discouraged from time to time. But it’s what we do after the fact that’s important.
Discouragement hits us from many different directions. Some of us get discouraged when a relationship ends abruptly, others are discouraged when they are passed up for a promotion, yet some of us are discouraged because of our physical limitations. Many are discouraged when God doesn’t answer their prayers as they would like.
Discouragement is one of the devil’s favorite tools.
He uses it more than any other tool in his arsenal. More than pride, anger and lust combined. Discouragement can devour us and leave us empty, bitter and lost. Don’t give Satan the satisfaction.
Today’s key verse comes from Psalms,
Psalms 34:17-19 When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. 18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.
When discouragement and disappointment enter our lives we should turn to the Lord.
Many of us turn to worldly endeavors to deaden the pain. Whether it’s sports, our jobs, social gatherings, or more destructive behavior like drugs, alcohol and sexual encounters.
Biblical examples of discouragement can be found throughout scripture. One example is Peter when he denied Christ. Peter starts out really great. He tells Jesus he’ll follow him to the ends of the Earth.
Luke 22:33 Peter said to him, Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.
But Jesus knew better and told Peter so. He told him that you’ll deny ever knowing me.
Matthew 26:75 And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times. And he went out and wept bitterly.
Peter felt that his faith was rock solid.
There was nothing that could separate him from Jesus. But his fear overtook him. A simple question from a servant girl asking if he was with Jesus, led him into a total panic. It was fight or flight and Peter chose to flee. He couldn’t believe that he would do such a thing. He thought he had the courage and the strength to follow Jesus.
But that’s the point. Peter didn’t call on God in prayer and ask for the strength he needed. He tried to go It alone and he failed miserably. Total Discouragement.
There are many Peters in this world. Christians who feel their faith is rock solid. That nothing could ever cause them to waiver, doubt or deny their Lord and Savior. Yet when adversity comes many will fall short.
Proverbs 24:10 If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.
The pandemic that we are currently going through has caused many to be discouraged.
Discouraged because they’ve lost jobs, loved ones, and the ability to socialize the way that they want to. This time in our history has been hard on everyone.
So what can we do to overcome our disappointments and not let discouragement overtake us?
First we just have to admit that we are discouraged.
Denial doesn’t help things and it will hinder our spiritual growth. When friends and loved ones ask us how we’re doing we tend to have a knee-jerk response and say we’re just fine. It’s ok to say you’re not ok. We need to take off our mask and be real about what we’re going through.
John 8:32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
Next we need to identify exactly what we are discouraged about.
We have to get beyond the emotional and get to the root of our hopelessness. If we’re feeling down, something brought us down. So, take a pause to identify the cause.
John 16:13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
After we’ve identified the cause of our pain we need to meditate on God’s word.
In his word we will find peace and comfort. His word will bring clarity to our situation. Through his word we will have the strength to endure all things. We need to make his word a part of who we are. We need to commit it to memory.
Proverbs 4:20-22 My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. 22 For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.
As always take it to the Lord in prayer.
Ask him to reveal what he wants to teach you through this. God never wastes a hurt. The apostle Paul makes this readily apparent in his letter to the Corinthians.
2 Corinthians 1:8-10 For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.
We need to be confident of the following three things.
Our heavenly father is with us throughout all of our pain.
Deuteronomy 31:8 The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged.
We need to acknowledge that He’s in control of our lives and He has allowed this for a reason.
Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Our God is good and he will not let this time of despair be in vain. He can truly bring beauty out of ashes.
This concludes this episode of Perspective For Today. As always I’d like to thank you for listening. Please, don’t let the things of this world discourage you, but be encouraged that you serve a loving God who will be with you through all of this.