5 Steps to Overcoming Discouragement
Weapons of the enemy.
The enemy of your soul has no shortage of ways to create havoc in your life. Fear, calamity, doubt, shame, illness, lies … the list goes on. But I believe his most powerful weapon is discouragement.
Last week yet another retreat cancelled having me come and speak. Ugh. While I completely understand and agree with their decision, it was discouraging.
Negative self-talk.
For the rest of the day, I was down in the dumps. I couldn’t engage with other potential clients via phone or email. Why bother?
I even had writer’s block. But then, who would read my stuff anyway?
I tried to cheer up, but the discouragement was overwhelming. Does that kind of discouragement ever fall on you?
Effects of discouragement.
Once we’re discouraged, we don’t need to be tempted, or deceived or attacked. Discouragement depletes our energy, self-confidence and stamina. Discouragement can be so oppressive, you don’t even want to try to find your way out. We are out of commission until we find our way back to the the face of God and his truth about us.
Can I get an amen?
If that happens to you, here is how you can find your way back to stability and hope.
- Remember God loves you more than your enemy hates you. 1 John 4:4
- Stand firm. Your problems are not bigger than your God. Is. 41:10
- Believe God has a good plan for you and it can’t be thwarted. Jer. 29:11
- Trust that God hears your prayers and will answer them. 1 John 5:14
- Believe thanking God chases off discouragement and it’s owner. Ps. 100:4-5
If you find yourself discouraged because of losing out, being left out or not being lifted out, remember you’re not alone. It’s okay to lament the disappointment. But don’t let discouragement take up residence for long. Have a good snot cry and take a nap, then press into God. Galatians 6:9
Reach out to Him and he will rescue you from that devil discouragement so you can get on with the all the great things He has for you.
How do you overcome discouragement? Leave me a comment. I can use all the help I can get!
Scripture for today: When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. Psalm 34:17-19
Prayer: Father, find me in the depths of my discouragement and draw me near to you. Let me find fresh hope in your word, your presence and your people. Strengthen me, fortify me, remind me of my position in your kingdom. Amen.
So sorry to read about your discouragement but EVERYTHING you wrote about how to overcome it is SO true. I tested positive for COVID last week and felt rotten. Lost my taste and smell and was fatigued to the max. I concentrated on being thankful I didn’t have to be in the hospital on a ventilator and really had a mild case. Kept a thankful heart and read lots of Psalms and His promises in the Bible.
That’s right Ruth. Discouragement losses its hold on us when we choose to be thankful. Thanks for sharing your experience proving it!
Praying for you Robyn! You have been such a blessing and inspiration to me. I already asked our ladies ministry director to get you booked again for this year. When discouragement/frustration hits me, I Just focus on all the many blessings that the Lord has bestowed on me. The list of blessings is endless. I can’t wait to meet you again.
Rebekah, from Liberty Baptist, Howell Mi
Rebekah, you’re a treasure for posting. Thanks so much.
And just for the record, I’d love to come back to Liberty.
Let’s make that happen!
Thank you Robyn!
Thank You for the encouraging us I really needed to hear your message.
Eileen, You and me both! Thanks for posting.
If there is one thing I’ve had to face during this discouraging COVID time is how isolated I can feel. I live alone and now have to work from home as well. However, God keeps tapping me on the shoulder and telling me to talk to Him. He is getting me through, moment to moment, as He is always with me and is the only true source of hope. He is helping me as all the other things I have leaned on have been stripped away, reminding me that I can always rest in Him. Praying for peace for you today, Robyn.
Donna, Truer words have never been spoken. The LORD will be with us and get us through it all. I thank you for posting this wisdom from your experience and for your lovely prayer.
Thanks for sharing. your words of encouragement. It doesn’t take much for me to get discouraged but calling on the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth and my friend, always puts things in perspective. You’ve been an encouragement to me and so many others, thank you so much.
Lori, Port City Church, Muskegon, MI
Thank you Lori. I’m so encouraged by your post.
Sorry to hear about the cancellations, I know it has been tough. When I am down, I turn on some good up beat music. Sometimes I dance and sometimes I clean my house. Crazy I know, cleaning? I always feel better if the house is clean. Good Christian music and a clean house, ahhhh.
Thank you for sharing these great ways to overcome discouragement. You are a bright spot in my email every time I hear from you.
My husband and I find music (listening, singing or playing instruments) helps lift us out of despair. Up beat music by day or wonderfully calming music before bed. It restores our souls.
What a grand idea, Sue. I’m putting this into practice immediately!
When everything else is out of control, a clean house is good for my soul, too, Amy. Therapeutic cleaning! Gold star idea. Thanks for posting. Next time, I’ll clean with the music blaring. 🙂
You know that the enemy wants us to lose hope in our God!!! When we are discouraged, we do lose hope. Trust is gone. But, what a lie!!!! For us, there is ALWAYS hope! HE is worth trusting even when everything goes wrong. You have encouraged me often. May you be filled with His spirit, girded up with hope and JOY unspeakable, setting your eyes on Him and the power of His word. It is in our weaknesses that He is strong. He is growing stronger in your right now. Hallelujah!
Amen to that Susan. I agree entirely. I receive that powerful prayer and stand on the truth.
Anytime that I am discouraged,I listen to my Selah CD’s & meditate on them. So very uplifting ??
Great idea, Judy. Music is very uplifting.
Robyn, I love your sense of humor, and your Godly wisdom.
God dropped this in my heart a couple of weeks ago, Worry leads to discouragement. Now I am much more aware of my thoughts and moods.
God also reminded me of the armor of God.
Eph 6::10-20..
10) Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 11) Put on the full armor of God so you can take your stand against the devil‘s schemes. 12) for our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13) therefore, (for that reason), Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14) Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, (truth protects your conscience),
With the breast plate of righteousness in place,
(protects your heart), 15) and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace
(Shoes of peace, that takes you where God wants you to go, without fear), 16) in addition to all this, take the shield of faith (which protects your relationship with God) which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17) take the helmet of salvation,
(which protects your mind), and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God (which shows you the truth of God’s Word to fight and expose the devil’s lies). 18) and pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints (Prayer covering)
19) Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be giving me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, (pray for all those who feed you God’s Word). 20) for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might declare it fearlessly as I should.
The comments in parentheses are teachings that I have heard throughout the years as a Christian. Some of them, I feel as though God has given me His Wisdom and Knowledge.
In Christ’s Love,
Donna J. Davis
Such good stuff, Donna, Thanks so much for sharing this Biblical wisdom.
Oh Robyn, you have no idea the timeliness of this post. The last few weeks have been discouraging for me but your post reminds me that no matter what we face that God is there in the midst of all of it. I pray that things pick up for you soon.
Love in Christ,
Deb Divine
Thanks for this post, Deb. You’re so sweet. I receive those prayers to get back to work. 🙂