Dare To Believe In The Face Of Discouragement

Dark days will come, there will be days when hope is lost, there will be seasons when you will be discouraged for one reason or another. Because of the state of this world time and time again we will gravitate towards being discouraged.

Psalms 42

To the chief Musician, Maschil, for the sons of Korah. As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

As i read this Psalm i see a man who is discouraged and i understand completely as i am in one of my own seasons of such a state. One thing i know though is that my hope is in the Lord, all i have to do is take heart, all i need to do is to believe that God has a grand plan, he did say in Jeremiah that he has plans for me, plans for good and not for evil, for a future and an expected end. So when discouragement comes what do i do. I encourage myself in the Lord.

Like David in 1 Samuel 30 after Ziklag had been burned, his wives and the wives of his men had been taken and now the people spoke of stoning him. David was greatly distressed. This was a disappointing moment, it was a stressful time. David could have wallowed in self pity but he chose the high road, he dared to believe even in the face of this situation that he was encountering. He sought the Lord, he encouraged himself in the Lord.

Saints this is what we have to do. Seek God, worship him in the face of our disappointments. God is faithful.

Sometimes a disappointment will come after a great victory. In 1 Kings 19 after Elijah had killed all the prophets of Baal and the Lord had answered him by fire, Jezebel threatens his life. The prophet runs away and the Lord asks him a question and in his answer is found his disappointment

And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. ( 1 Kings 19:10 )

Discouragement comes about because we will be telling ourselves that we have done so many things and we do not understand how things could be happening in a contrary manner, or not moving as we expected. Life will never go the way we plan or the way we desire. However like the Psalmist said, hope in God for you shall again praise him.

Whatever you are going through today, just encourage yourself in the Lord. Dare To Believe in the face of discouragement.