Dealing with Discouragement

Discouragement is a fact of life. You might even have a case of it today! Here are a few ways you can deal with discouragement:

• Recognize the source of discouragement—The devil. The enemy of your soul would like nothing better than to take you out of the game and see you benched.
• Resist the temptation—When you are tempted to give in to discouragement you are to “resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).
• Regain your relationship—After you resist the devil, take the next step and “draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (verse 8).
• Remember your power—You have Christ’s power working in and through you. Remember the promise of Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
• Respond to encouragement, and encourage others—When others encourage you, “be quick to hear” (James 1:19). Also “encourage one another day after day” (Hebrews 3:13).

Who needs a word or an act of encouragement from you today? A little bit of encouragement can go a long way toward brightening someone’s spirit and motivating them to press on.

Drawn from Finding God’s Path Through Your Trials. This encouraging book discusses the hard times we all face. It will remind you that God won’t give you trials you cannot bear without including a way of escape. By turning to Jesus, you will find hope, joy, and meaning in your journey, no matter how bumpy it seems.

Read Dealing with Discouragement on Elizabeth & Jim George.