It has been said that the devil, prospering as a result of war, and convinced that hell was already firmly established on earth, decided he no longer needed to work so hard and advertised most of his equipment for sale. However, he refused to part with one tool labeled "discouragement". He knew he would want it if he ever returned to active work.
Said he, "When I get people downhearted and discouraged, they soon give up trying to lead good lives and easily come under my power."
COMMENTARY
Why is it that discouragement is such a valued tool of our advesary? I believe it is powerful, in a negative way, because it can lead to so many other sins. When we become downhearted and discouraged we start to care less and less about living good lives or anything else for that matter. The depths of despair have often broken the strongest followers of Christ. Discouragement can lead to abandonment of the faith, despondency in life, depression or even suicide. No wonder it is a prized tool for our advesary.
If one is deeply discouraged he may even go to the point of questioning God. I have done this myself. There have been times in my life when I felt as if I was living right and doing all I could to make ends meet but one bad thing after another would happen. How can you really love me, O God, and allow these things to happen? Yes to be honest, I have cried out angrily at God more often than I would like to admit. I thank Him for His unconditional love and patience with me in these times. He understands. He does see what is going on in our hearts and thoughts in these tough times. Most importantly, He does care, even if it doesn't appear that way. It is very important to know, regardless of how you may feel, you are NOT alone. When you find yourself to the point of tears in your discouragement remember these comforting words:
Said he, "When I get people downhearted and discouraged, they soon give up trying to lead good lives and easily come under my power."
COMMENTARY
Why is it that discouragement is such a valued tool of our advesary? I believe it is powerful, in a negative way, because it can lead to so many other sins. When we become downhearted and discouraged we start to care less and less about living good lives or anything else for that matter. The depths of despair have often broken the strongest followers of Christ. Discouragement can lead to abandonment of the faith, despondency in life, depression or even suicide. No wonder it is a prized tool for our advesary.
If one is deeply discouraged he may even go to the point of questioning God. I have done this myself. There have been times in my life when I felt as if I was living right and doing all I could to make ends meet but one bad thing after another would happen. How can you really love me, O God, and allow these things to happen? Yes to be honest, I have cried out angrily at God more often than I would like to admit. I thank Him for His unconditional love and patience with me in these times. He understands. He does see what is going on in our hearts and thoughts in these tough times. Most importantly, He does care, even if it doesn't appear that way. It is very important to know, regardless of how you may feel, you are NOT alone. When you find yourself to the point of tears in your discouragement remember these comforting words:
"Record my misery;
list my tears on your scroll,
are they not in your record?"
(Pslams 56:8)
This is God's way of letting us know that He is with us and takes note of every single tear that we drop. He is so loving!
There are two definitions of discouragement from Webster's dictionary:
1. The act of making something less likely to happen, or making people less likely to do something
2. A feeling of having lost hope or confidence
Most people would refer to the second if asked what discouragement means. The first, definition, however, is one that our advesary probably appreciates more.
Think of it in military terms and this may help to understand what it does in the spiritual battlefield. Discouragement is like a heavy rock that one chooses to carry on the battlefield. With this heavy rock one must use both hands and it slows him down tremendously. With this rock one also cannot use their weapons to fight either. This makes for an easy target for the enemy. In the application I will go over how we can drop this rock.
We also need to understand that discouragement and pain is relative to each person. What I mean by this is that someone may come up to a discouraged person and say, "It could always be worse." More often than not, to those suffering, those words are bitter. While they do concede that, yes, it could be worse and even may be grateful for that, at the same time they may think, "It could also be much better, you just don't understand the pain I am feeling".
There are two definitions of discouragement from Webster's dictionary:
1. The act of making something less likely to happen, or making people less likely to do something
2. A feeling of having lost hope or confidence
Most people would refer to the second if asked what discouragement means. The first, definition, however, is one that our advesary probably appreciates more.
Think of it in military terms and this may help to understand what it does in the spiritual battlefield. Discouragement is like a heavy rock that one chooses to carry on the battlefield. With this heavy rock one must use both hands and it slows him down tremendously. With this rock one also cannot use their weapons to fight either. This makes for an easy target for the enemy. In the application I will go over how we can drop this rock.
We also need to understand that discouragement and pain is relative to each person. What I mean by this is that someone may come up to a discouraged person and say, "It could always be worse." More often than not, to those suffering, those words are bitter. While they do concede that, yes, it could be worse and even may be grateful for that, at the same time they may think, "It could also be much better, you just don't understand the pain I am feeling".
Sometimes what may appear to be the end of the world for one person would only be considered a small obstacle to another. I say this so that when you do deal with a person that is discouraged you should always realize that this person may be feeling much more pain than you imagine. Be delicate.
I sometimes think of the people of great faith in the bible. They are valiant and inspiring. Yet I often wonder, What about the moments that were not written about? For example, when I look at the life of Joseph in the Old Testament I would not be surprised if he often cried out to God, "Why, O God, Why? How could you let my brothers leave me for dead? Have me sold into slavery? Falsely accused by Potiphar's wife and imprisoned? I don't deserve these things."
Though we don't read of this he surely would have been justified had he done so. King David often cried out like this. I believe that even if Joseph or others did indeed question God, even angrily at times, they still kept believing regardless of how things looked on the outside. That is true faith, "..the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Heb 11:1) While they may have had times of doubt and fear, they kept believing and remained steadfast in their trust of the Lord in the long run.
"Permanance, perserverance, and persistance in spite of all obstacles, discouragement, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong souls from the weak." ~ Thomas Carlyle
APPLICATION
So how does one actually shun discouragement and walk in faith when everything is going so wrong? How do we find hope when we feel hopeless? How do we walk with courage when we feel so weak? What do you do at the point when you feel you have done all you can but things continue to go from bad to worse? How do you handle the pain of losing one you love? What do we do when all around we are consumed with fear, doubt, worry and stress? How can we "drop the rock of discouragement" as mentioned earlier?
I would like to recommend 4 steps to overcome discouragement in your life.
1. Right desire
2. Guard your heart
3. Pray
4. Believe and trust in God
Right desire- What I mean by this is that you must come to a place in which you see discouragement for what it really is and truly desire for God to remove it from you. Many people sadly will cling to things such as discouragement, fear, bitterness and pain even though they know they are bad for them. Somehow pain and discouragement become friends to them, false and destroying friends but friends nonetheless. Acknowledge that discouragement is not from God and that you no longer want it in your life! I see Jesus as a gentleman and He will never take from you that which you don't want to let go of. If your inner desire is to hold on to discouragement then it will not be removed. Desire for it to be removed!
Guard your heart- "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." (Proverbs 4:23) We must take captive the thoughts that come to our mind. When you find yourself thinking or saying things like, "All is lost, this is only going to get worse", or "I'm just a failure" and the like, STOP! Don't let those thoughts or wicked imaginations continue. As a man thinketh so he is. "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" (2Cor 10:5). Focus on positive thoughts...as difficult as it may be. "Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, are of good report, if there be any virtue, if their be any praise, think on these things." (Phillipians 4:8) I understand it is a mental battle to take your focus off the things that are discouraging you but worrying and doubting never helped anyone. Let go and let God!
Pray - "Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you." (1Peter 5:7). I cannot count the times that I have been under so much stress and filled with worry. The knotting feeling in my stomach wouldn't leave me. It was hard to go about the day without breaking down and crying. Then I woke up and realized I didn't have to carry my burdens alone. I knelt down and prayed. Honest heartfelt prayer, surrendering my fears and giving my burdens to the Lord. Some indescribable spiritual way all the fear left me time and time again. The situation or dire straits I was in did not change at all in that moment...on the outside. But on the inside I knew that it was now in the Lord's hands and all I could do is trust Him. No longer did I fear the worst, nor did I yet know what the outcome was to be. I did, however, know that I just prayed to a God who has a way to turn all things into good and that He would deliver me. I had peace, not the peace of the world but the peace that passeth all understanding.
Believe and trust God - "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me." (John 14:1) and "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27) When Jesus tells us to not let our hearts be troubled it means we have a choice. We can either let it be troubled and doubt him or not let it be troubled and trust Him. What will you choose?
I know it is a very difficult thing to do at times. I also know that many times in my life when things have been so tough I let myself go through such unnecessary doubt and worry. Most of my worst fears never came to pass. But even if they did at times God always works all things together for good. Sometimes I had to go through those things to become stronger in my faith. Some of the events I have yet to see the positives but I trust God nonetheless. We may not get some things answered until after this life but we have to trust that He knows best! God often comes through in the last moment or shortly after failure. He tends to do that but I realize it is only so that I may learn to trust and believe in Him earlier next time.
"Every great work, every great accomplishment, has been brought into manifestation through holding the vision, and often just before the big achievement comes apparent failure and discouragement." ~Florence Scovel Shinn
So let's not let the horrible tool of discouragement work in our lives anymore. God is on our side and if God is for us who can be against us?
John Finley
I sometimes think of the people of great faith in the bible. They are valiant and inspiring. Yet I often wonder, What about the moments that were not written about? For example, when I look at the life of Joseph in the Old Testament I would not be surprised if he often cried out to God, "Why, O God, Why? How could you let my brothers leave me for dead? Have me sold into slavery? Falsely accused by Potiphar's wife and imprisoned? I don't deserve these things."
Though we don't read of this he surely would have been justified had he done so. King David often cried out like this. I believe that even if Joseph or others did indeed question God, even angrily at times, they still kept believing regardless of how things looked on the outside. That is true faith, "..the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Heb 11:1) While they may have had times of doubt and fear, they kept believing and remained steadfast in their trust of the Lord in the long run.
"Permanance, perserverance, and persistance in spite of all obstacles, discouragement, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong souls from the weak." ~ Thomas Carlyle
APPLICATION
So how does one actually shun discouragement and walk in faith when everything is going so wrong? How do we find hope when we feel hopeless? How do we walk with courage when we feel so weak? What do you do at the point when you feel you have done all you can but things continue to go from bad to worse? How do you handle the pain of losing one you love? What do we do when all around we are consumed with fear, doubt, worry and stress? How can we "drop the rock of discouragement" as mentioned earlier?
I would like to recommend 4 steps to overcome discouragement in your life.
1. Right desire
2. Guard your heart
3. Pray
4. Believe and trust in God
Right desire- What I mean by this is that you must come to a place in which you see discouragement for what it really is and truly desire for God to remove it from you. Many people sadly will cling to things such as discouragement, fear, bitterness and pain even though they know they are bad for them. Somehow pain and discouragement become friends to them, false and destroying friends but friends nonetheless. Acknowledge that discouragement is not from God and that you no longer want it in your life! I see Jesus as a gentleman and He will never take from you that which you don't want to let go of. If your inner desire is to hold on to discouragement then it will not be removed. Desire for it to be removed!
Guard your heart- "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." (Proverbs 4:23) We must take captive the thoughts that come to our mind. When you find yourself thinking or saying things like, "All is lost, this is only going to get worse", or "I'm just a failure" and the like, STOP! Don't let those thoughts or wicked imaginations continue. As a man thinketh so he is. "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" (2Cor 10:5). Focus on positive thoughts...as difficult as it may be. "Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, are of good report, if there be any virtue, if their be any praise, think on these things." (Phillipians 4:8) I understand it is a mental battle to take your focus off the things that are discouraging you but worrying and doubting never helped anyone. Let go and let God!
Pray - "Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you." (1Peter 5:7). I cannot count the times that I have been under so much stress and filled with worry. The knotting feeling in my stomach wouldn't leave me. It was hard to go about the day without breaking down and crying. Then I woke up and realized I didn't have to carry my burdens alone. I knelt down and prayed. Honest heartfelt prayer, surrendering my fears and giving my burdens to the Lord. Some indescribable spiritual way all the fear left me time and time again. The situation or dire straits I was in did not change at all in that moment...on the outside. But on the inside I knew that it was now in the Lord's hands and all I could do is trust Him. No longer did I fear the worst, nor did I yet know what the outcome was to be. I did, however, know that I just prayed to a God who has a way to turn all things into good and that He would deliver me. I had peace, not the peace of the world but the peace that passeth all understanding.
Believe and trust God - "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me." (John 14:1) and "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27) When Jesus tells us to not let our hearts be troubled it means we have a choice. We can either let it be troubled and doubt him or not let it be troubled and trust Him. What will you choose?
I know it is a very difficult thing to do at times. I also know that many times in my life when things have been so tough I let myself go through such unnecessary doubt and worry. Most of my worst fears never came to pass. But even if they did at times God always works all things together for good. Sometimes I had to go through those things to become stronger in my faith. Some of the events I have yet to see the positives but I trust God nonetheless. We may not get some things answered until after this life but we have to trust that He knows best! God often comes through in the last moment or shortly after failure. He tends to do that but I realize it is only so that I may learn to trust and believe in Him earlier next time.
"Every great work, every great accomplishment, has been brought into manifestation through holding the vision, and often just before the big achievement comes apparent failure and discouragement." ~Florence Scovel Shinn
So let's not let the horrible tool of discouragement work in our lives anymore. God is on our side and if God is for us who can be against us?
John Finley
