DEALING WITH DISCOURAGEMENT.

 

You do not have to look for trouble before it locates you. Sometimes through no fault of yours you find yourself in a very difficult situation, between a rock and a hard place. Things start going wrong, everybody is against you and you can't make any sense of what is happening.

 

Scriptures:

Nehemiah  4:3-12

3 Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, "What they are building-if even a fox climbed up on it, he would break down their wall of stones!"4 Hear us, O our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. 5 Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders.6 So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.

7 But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the men of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem's walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. 8 They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. 9 But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.10 Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, "The strength of the labourers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall."11 Also our enemies said, "Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work."12 Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, "Wherever you turn, they will attack us."

1Samuel  30:1-9

1 David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it, 2 and had taken captive the women and all who were in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way.

3 When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. 4 So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. 5 David's two wives had been captured-Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 6 David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.

7 Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the ephod." Abiathar brought it to him, 8 and David enquired of the LORD, "Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?""Pursue them," he answered. "You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue."

 

Joshua 1:8-9

 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

 

Psalm 42:5-6,11

5 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and 6 my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon-from Mount Mizar. 

11 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God.

 

Psalm 43:

1 Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation; rescue me from deceitful and wicked men. 2 You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy? 3 Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. 4 Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God. 5 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God.

 Recommended steps to restore our confidence and tenacity.

Prov 4:5

5 Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them.6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.7 Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.

 

1. Pray : how?

2. Put your trust in God. How?

3. Seek counsel and Talk to yourself. From who?

4. Walk in faith. How?

5. Write out a plan. Adapt a strategy

6. Evaluate your progress.

7. Never give up.

 Conclusion

Difficult times visit every one. No one is immune to them. For some, they live in fear of such times, others give up during such times. It is my prayer that hard times will not halt your progress in any area of your life, rather it will be a stepping stone leading to your elevation, promotion and the enlargement of your coast.

May the experience you gain equip you to help build those in the body  of Christ who are discouraged because of challenging times.

Ps. Van