Dealing with Discouragement

The bad news came out of the blue one afternoon. It was nothing I was expecting, but it crushed my spirit. And then it multiplied. Discouragement was all around me. What could I do?  
At the moment, I didn’t want to do what I knew I should–turn to the Word. But the Spirit compelled me. So I took a deep breath and opened my Bible. What followed was passage after passage about the hope that we have when dealing with discouragement!
So many of the Bible men and women who belonged to the Lord went through trials and tribulations. Job is man who was “blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil” (Job 1:1) and yet experienced the loss of his children, crops and animals, which were his livelihood–his job! 
Elijah the prophet and Jeremiah both became discouraged when no one would listen to their message, and Mary and Martha mourned the loss of Lazarus when Jesus did not come when they expected. 

David, who was a great king and man after God’s own heart, felt hopeless. In Psalm 22: 1-2, he cries out,  “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.” Men were seeking to kill David and he was afraid that the Lord’s help was not coming.

Even as I read these passages, I began to understand that in all of these situations, as well as in mine, the Lord promised to restore and comfort in times of trial. Psalm 34:18 assures us that “the LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart”!
God restored Job’s livelihood and family and promised Elijah that there would be seven thousand who would listen to his preaching. Jesus waited to come to Mary and Martha to heal their brother so that He could show His power by raising Lazarus from the dead. 
King David was able to rest in this assurance from Psalm 145: 16-18, “Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.” 

A life free of trouble and worldly happiness are never promised, but the Lord promises to take care of those who belong to Him!

As tears came, I found comfort in the words of Hebrews 13:5: “I will never leave thee or forsake thee.” While nothing we can do can merit His grace and favor, He still gives us immeasurable strength in our troubled times when we come to Him and lay ourselves before Him. As I closed my Bible and spent time in prayer, I felt the true power of God’s Word in my life. The difficult situation was not removed, but the grace and mercy of God was a healing balm to my soul.
If you are feeling discouraged, I pray you will go to the Lord in confession and prayer. Give Him your discouragements and anxieties and call for His peace. His comforts are great! “Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

My Photo

Jenn is a pastor’s wife and a mother of 3 beautiful children.

Join Jenn at The Purposeful Mom where she shares how she is learning to live with purpose in the spiritual, financial and practical areas of life.  Her desire is that we would all :encourage one another and build each other up” 1 Thess. 5:11

About Rachel

Rachel is a mother to four children and a wife to a wellness doctor. Her passions are faith, family, and health. You can find her writing about her family adventures and inspiring you to make healthier choices for your family.

Comments

  1. Beautiful,encouraging post! Thank-you so much for sharing!