Learn to combat discouragement by focusing on God’s Word, trusting His promises, and letting Him transform your thoughts and restore hope.
This article appeared in the Just Between Us Weekly Digital Magazine.
By Shelly Esser
Discouragement has been relentlessly pounding at my door. Have you ever had days, even weeks like that? The more I tried to ignore it, the louder it got. At times it felt like discouragement was not only pounding at my door, but breaking the door down! Discouragement often makes us feel like giving up because of the hopeless feelings that most often accompany it. We can feel drained and it can even be difficult to have the energy to read our Bibles or pray or do anything that would be spiritually encouraging. It can completely deplete our strength.
I've had to really do battle in my mind as a result. And the only way I've been able to send discouragement packing, is to send God to answer the door.
As I've turned to God's Word, I've had to focus on the truth that God has a good plan for my life, even when it doesn't always feel like that, and even when I can't see a hint of it on the horizon.
Discouragement makes us vulnerable, and the enemy knows that, so he's right there to slide into our minds and hearts with words that will only keep us discouraged, down in the pit, causing us to doubt God's goodness in our lives. And Satan always casts God as the bad guy for bringing us to this despairing place. He's constantly whispering lies into our ears that over time just bring us down, down, down. Lies like: “God doesn't love you,” “You will never make it through this,” “God isn't listening to your prayers,” or “God doesn't see your tears.”
So how can we take heart when we are discouraged?
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