I had one of those weeks last week. I’m sure you have had them, too, at some point. Those weeks when all of your hard work goes either unnoticed or unappreciated or gets undermined, and you get discouraged. Then this discouragement seeps into the rest of your life, and you feel very much alone.
I am learning that discouragement is Satan’s “special tool” to misdirect our sense of worth and sense of self because discouragement is the result of our computing our value by what others recognize or think about us. As Ps. 20:7 says, “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses . . . .” There are days and weeks when I have put my trust in the chariots and the horses.
But I am not going to give Satan the lion’s share of this blog. I want to spend the majority of it focusing on God’s remedy for discouragement--Hope. Ps. 20:7 finishes by saying “. . . But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.”
When I get discouraged, it is because I have forgotten that all the circumstances of that week have been filtered through God’s fingers. Despite what it looks like to me, God is in control and is at work during these times. As Paul says in Romans 8:28, ”And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” That’s part of the reason for my discouragement. I had my own purposes in mind when things didn’t live up to my expectations.
The word “discouraged” appears only eight times in the New King James Version of the Bible, but the words “trust” and “hope” and “peace” and “strength” as well as God’s reminder that he is always with us and his timing is perfect appear countless times. I think it best to let God’s word do all the talking at this point. Below are some of my favorite reminders.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” Prov. 3:5
“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts You.” Is. 26:3-4
“Peace, I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Gal. 6:9
“Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.” Ps. 31:24
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for peace and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Rom. 15:13
Finally, I am not sure who sent me this quote or where it came from, but it seems an appropriate one with which to close:
“If you know that God’s hand is in everything, you can leave everything in God’s hand.”
I am learning that discouragement is Satan’s “special tool” to misdirect our sense of worth and sense of self because discouragement is the result of our computing our value by what others recognize or think about us. As Ps. 20:7 says, “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses . . . .” There are days and weeks when I have put my trust in the chariots and the horses.
But I am not going to give Satan the lion’s share of this blog. I want to spend the majority of it focusing on God’s remedy for discouragement--Hope. Ps. 20:7 finishes by saying “. . . But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.”
When I get discouraged, it is because I have forgotten that all the circumstances of that week have been filtered through God’s fingers. Despite what it looks like to me, God is in control and is at work during these times. As Paul says in Romans 8:28, ”And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” That’s part of the reason for my discouragement. I had my own purposes in mind when things didn’t live up to my expectations.
The word “discouraged” appears only eight times in the New King James Version of the Bible, but the words “trust” and “hope” and “peace” and “strength” as well as God’s reminder that he is always with us and his timing is perfect appear countless times. I think it best to let God’s word do all the talking at this point. Below are some of my favorite reminders.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” Prov. 3:5
“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts You.” Is. 26:3-4
“Peace, I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Gal. 6:9
“Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.” Ps. 31:24
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for peace and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Rom. 15:13
Finally, I am not sure who sent me this quote or where it came from, but it seems an appropriate one with which to close:
“If you know that God’s hand is in everything, you can leave everything in God’s hand.”
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