Dealing with Discouragement

Discouragement is something that we all face at one time or another, and most likely we will face it more times than we'd like to admit. I've been facing quite a bit of discouragement lately, and it has really caused me to think about the ways we handle it when it comes along.

When discouragement knocks us down, we really have two choices. One, stay down, roll over and let discouragement win. Or two, stand up and fight back. We can choose to turn discouragement into motivation.

Lately I have been feeling like every time I turn around, there is another disappointment trying to knock me over. Have you ever seen those blow up things with the weights in the bottom? You know, those things were you hit it and it falls over and then bounces back up again? That's exactly what I have felt like. It has been just one thing after another. Some small things, some big things, but it has all been enough to leave me feeling worn down.

It would probably be easier just to let the discouragement win, but, as my husband so lovingly said the other day, "We're a resilient bunch!" So, instead, I am turning this discouragement into motivation. When others say that I am not good enough, I am taking that as a personal challenge to be my best. I may never be good enough for some people, but I know that my best is what my Father wants from me.

Motivation can be a beautiful thing. Disappointments can also be a wonderful gift...if we allow them to be. Without failures, without disappointments and discouragement, we can become complacent. Complacency is a dangerous thing. When we become too comfortable with our situation, we begin to start letting the little things slide. We stop being so diligent, because after all, we don't have to. Everything is peachy...

Then discouragement comes along and shakes us out of our complacency. Do we give up, or do we dig in and turn things around?

Yes, discouragement, disappointment and even failure can be a gift. Years ago I heard a saying, "If you are comfortable with where you are, then you probably aren't doing much for God". When we are growing in our faith, when we are doing God's Work, the adversary will not be happy with us. He will do everything in his power to derail us, to make us want to give up. He will throw every disappointment our way that he can think of. He will attack us where he feels we have weaknesses.

What are we to do then?

First, we need to check where our focus is pointed. Are we focused on things eternal, or are we too wrapped up in the world's desires? "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them." 1 John 2:15

Once our focus is on the right place, we need to trust God to carry our burdens. "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." 1 Peter 5:7 Sometimes I think that we believe our discouragements are too little to matter to God. But He doesn't say "Casting all your BIG cares..." He says, "Casting all your cares..." I believe God cares about even the little discouragements in our lives, and He's waiting for us to trust Him with them.

Often times this is not a one time deal. Many times we have to cast our cares upon Him again, and again, and again. We may have to give him the same discouragement every five minutes. If you are the mother of young boys, you are familiar with that feeling! Sometimes it is minute by minute of casting the same cares upon Him!

Once we have given Him our discouragement, we need to let it go. That's not always easy. If you are someone who needs to feel "in control" like me, then it's really not easy. But Scripture says that we need not to worry. "Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?" Matthew 6:25

The thought of being able to give my discouragement to God is freeing. God cares enough about me to care about my hurt feelings and disappointment, and to me, that is a very encouraging thought! Use that encouragement to motivate yourself! If God cares enough to carry our burden, then we should care enough to pick ourselves up and do good!

Choose to turn discouragement into motivation.


In His Precious Name,