Discouraged?

Recently a man walked up to me and showed me four words that were written in the front of his Bible.  They were Fatigue, Frustration, Fear and Failure.  I immediately recognized that these four words were the key points to a sermon I had preached years ago on the causes of discouragement.  He shared how he had written these four words in his Bible because he had often been a victim of discouragement and that God had taught him to beware of these discouraging traps.  He then shared with me about a meeting at his work where his co-workers were expressing some very discouraging thoughts about problems occurring in the business. He took out his Bible and shared his testimony about  how God’s strength had helped him in his most discouraging times.  I was so blessed to realize that God had continued to use His words of encouragement and support, years after they had been delivered from the pulpit. 

The fact is that discouragement can be “kryptonite” to the Christian walk and testimony.  Satan has done a great job in keeping us so busy that we barely have time to take care of our spiritual lives and before long we are fatigued, or frustrated, or fearful, or failing; and the result is discouragement.  It seems as though our culture breeds discouragement.  Everything is moving at such a fast pace, the news is typically always bad,  technology gives us a front row seat to all the mayhem in the world and the deceiver tells us that we have to keep up and stay on top.  Remember this definition of busy:  Buried Under Satan’s Yoke.

So, to all of you who are feeling a need to breathe because of the constant barrage of life that is being thrown at you, here is some helpful and Godly advice.

First, if you are fatigued, take a break.  Be intentional in getting the rest and relaxation you need.  Even Jesus would get alone in a quiet place to pray.  Taking care of yourself is not a sin. It is not selfish.  The Psalmist prayed, “Will you please revive me again, O Lord?”  Check your schedule.  Make sure you have included some time to recharge your battery.  The results will be well worth the time spent.

Second, if you are frustrated, get organized.  Set some realistic goals and do your best to stick with them.  Make sure that your life does not get so messy that it overwhelms you.  A woman once sat in my office and said she was so depressed because her house was a total mess.  I thought for a moment and then suggested…”go clean it up.”  Clutter is like barnacles on the bottom of ship.  They don’t do anything but they certainly slow it down.  Clutter will slow your life and create enough frustration that eventually you will grow discouraged.   The bible teaches that we are to do everything “decently and in order.”  Try it.  It works.

Third, if you are afraid, seek the truth.  Jesus said “the truth will make you free.”  The Bible also teaches that God did not give us a spirit of fear.  Fear happens most often when Satan deceives us into believing that the perceived reality will become actual reality.  In other words, we start believing that the worst case scenarios will actually happen.  Instead of trusting God for a positive result, we allow Satan to convince us that all is lost.  This fear will then paralyze us from acting in a positive way which often results in a negative outcome.  The truth is that God is in control and wants us to trust Him in every and all circumstances.  Try it.

Finally, if you have failed, get up and try again.  Failure should cause disappointment for the Christian but not discouragement.  Discouragement comes when we let our disappointments dictate our next move.  Instead of giving the failure to the Lord and trying again in obedience to Him, we often give up altogether and simply live without the blessings that God intended for us to have.  Failure is the great teacher.  We should learn from it and then MOVE ON. 

So, I hope this post finds you fresh, hopeful, and encouraged.  However, if you are one of the many who have been struggling with discouragement, please know that I am praying for you and hope that this simple advice helps.  I know it has helped me in my discouragements many times.  Thanks for reading.