Overcoming Discouragement, Pt. 2

Disappointment is an emotional response to failed expectations. Everyone feels it. Discouragement, however, is despair, and it's a choice we make.

Overcoming Discouragement, Pt. 2

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

(Matthew 11:28-30)

I love this promise from Jesus. Look at those verses again and let your heart ponder these words: come, rest, gentle, rest (again!), easy, and light. In my personal battles with discouragement, I have found that I get in a difficult place when I let my mind wander and lose focus of the promises of God in Scripture. It is astonishing how creative we can become with our thoughts as we drift toward worrisome imaginations. If you are like me on this point, then you know that we are our worst enemies when we get fixated on the problem (real or only perceived) and take our eyes off of the Lord. If you are battling feelings of despair or discouragement, be comforted and have your faith and confidence restored by reading Jesus' words in our focal texts for today's devotion. But do not only read; believe what Jesus says.

Pastor Charles Stanley differentiated between disappointment and discouragement. Disappointment is an emotional response to failed expectations. It is unavoidable; everyone will encounter it. Discouragement, however, is the feeling of despair, and it is a choice we make. I have found that this battle is always waged in my mind. If I forget God and His Word and get my mind fixed solely on the problem or the negativity around me, then I choose the path of discouragement. But if I pause and focus on Jesus and His promises in Scripture, then I win that battle in my mind every time.

Stanley lists the following consequences of living in discouragement:

Divided Attention: When you are in the valley of discouragement, you cannot stay focused or be at your best. I recently finished reading Michael Dell's autobiography entitled, Play Nice But Win. I enjoyed it even more than I thought I would. He has this unusual ability to compartmentalize. When he encounters challenging people or circumstances, he blocks them out and stays laser-focused on the task at hand. But most people cannot do that very well! Disappointment usually splinters our attention.
Blaming Others: It is so easy to do this when you are hurt and angry. The last place you want to look is in the mirror and take ownership for your part. But a helpful thing to remember when you are discouraged and playing the blame game is to ask, "What is God teaching me in this situation?"
Getting Angry and Depressed: Recently, I was tempted to travel the path of anger and negativity, but the Lord interrupted my journey by reminding me of the following biblical truth in James 1:19-20: "So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God."

We will look tomorrow at some more consequences of living in discouragement. But for today, allow me to encourage you with this thought: the next time you feel tempted to pack your bags and go to Destination Discouragement, do this: stop, redirect your mind, and focus on the Lord and His many promises in His Word. Turn to Jesus, receive His comfort, and apply His clarity to your dilemma. He has promised to help you, and that is what He will do.