August 20, 2022 OVERCOMING DISCOURAGEMENT
Hebrews 4:16 “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”
Psalms 42:5 “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.”
Matthew 11:28 “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
2 Corinthians 1:4 “He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”
We all have times of discouragement and many suffer with depression. All so often, words fail to bring comfort and it seems there is no way out of the discouragement. To complicate it, often, one may not even be able to identify the reason for discouragement. (Often, discouragement is a result of things not working out like we expected.) We can find some comfort in the fact that many biblical characters dealt with discouragement. There is no one quick-fix to instantly end discouragement; yet-there is hope and there is a way out. It is helpful just to know that in life we will have times of discouragement-so do not be surprised; God allows trying times. Much help comes when we give up on what we want, and place our trust in what God is doing in the process. We can come to a point that we know in our inner most being that God IS the potter-and we are the clay; we acknowledge this fact to God and ‘tell’ Him we want to do whatever He likes with this clay. A very effective way to get out of discouragement is to bless or serve someone else, even though we may not feel like doing so. It is also helpful to name the blessings that God has given us. God delights in delivering His people; He allows difficulties, but when we cry out to Him, He delivers us; He may not take away the difficulty, but He causes us to be overcomers in the midst of difficulties. There are times when He miraculously removes the difficulty. So, if you are discouraged, take courage; you are not alone; God wants to deliver; brighter days are ahead.
Isaiah 40:31 “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 “For our momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which or not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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