Discouragement is a common problem. As we saw yesterday, it may start with a divided mind but can easily turn into blaming others and wallowing in anger. Sadly, its effects don't stop there.
For one thing, if you regard the one who disappointed you as the cause of all your troubles, you might distance yourself or even end the relationship. On top of that, when disappointments are allowed to build up without resolution, your sense of self-worth could be damaged. This could deliver a blow to your ministry and interactions with others, since no one likes being around critical, negative individuals.
A dangerous drift in your spiritual walk is the ultimate consequence of discouragement. God will seem distant, uncaring, or perhaps even absent because you've built such high walls around yourself. Things that were once cornerstones in your lifeᾢlike worship, Bible study, and prayerᾢeasily fall by the wayside. Before long, you will be surrounded only by your disappointments and negativity, unable to see anything of positive value at all.
Discouragement can eat away at a believer's relationships and productivity. Don't allow disappointments to build up and take such a toll on your life. Psalm 40:2 is a wonderful reminder that the heavenly Father can lift you out of the "miry clay" and "set [your] feet upon a rock making [your] footsteps firm." Let your discouragement motivate you to turn to the Lord, the one who can "put a new song in [your] mouth"ᾢa song of praise to Him (v. 3).
One of Satan's most effective weapons is discouragement. The enemy knows that if he can destroy our courage, we'll be ineffective in our attempts to accomplish anything for Christ. Let's explore the downward spiral created by this destructive force.
One mark of discouragement is a divided mind. This underlying distraction affects every area and decision. No matter what you're doing, it feels as if a dark cloud covers your entire thought life.
Discouragement also leads to the "blame game," where it's common to feel the need to point a finger at someone else. You may want to find fault with God because He has allowed painful circumstances in your life, or you may accuse others because of the way they treat you. Perhaps you yourself feel guilty for poor choices or past mistakes. My friend, blame is an empty activity. No healing or restoration ever came from trying to pin responsibility on someone else for the hardships in your life.
Anger is another common indication that a person is discouraged. When this occurs, bitterness may develop and finally become a spirit of vengeance. If you let anger grow and fester without resolution, it can easily turn into depression. Then resentment can act like a cancer that slowly spreads and invades every aspect of your life.
The traits described above aren't what one would expect of a Christian, are they? However, they are all too evident in the church. Ask the Lord to search your heart for any trace of discouragementᾢand to eliminate its destructive power from your life.
When Jehoshaphat saw trouble looming, the first thing he did was turn attention to God and proclaim a fast throughout Judah. People came from all around to support their king in prayer (2 Chronicles 20:3, 2 Chronicles 20:13).
Sometimes we are too proud to ask others to pray for us. Jehoshaphat was a king, yet he didn't put on airs of self-sufficiency. Instead, he admitted his army paled in comparison to the three forces united against him. He recognized his limitations and sought divine intervention. Though Jehoshaphat reigned over his subjects, he nevertheless called on them for prayerful support.
One of the wisest things we can do in the midst of difficulty is to engage the assistance of someone who knows how to talk to God. The body of Christ depends upon cooperation. When the people of Judah began to pray, God provided a solution through a trusted prophet. Jehoshaphat was humble enough to listen and wise enough to follow his directives (vv. 14-17). As a result, the Israelites were saved. The advancing armies turned against each other and destroyed themselves completely. Without shooting an arrow or drawing a sword, Judah's forces suffered not even one casualty. Because their humble king listened, they witnessed the Lord's remarkable victory (vv. 22-30).
We have to attune our ears to God's voice in order to hear Him. Sometimes He speaks through people we would not choose to follow, and He often says things we're not expecting to hear. But He will provide us with solutions to our problems if we are willing to heed His words.
Almighty God reserves the right to reveal some things and conceal others. Although we may not know why natural disasters occur, the biblical truths we do know with absolute certainty allow us to trust the Lord even in times of great suffering. Because of the Bible, we can be certain:
God is in control (Psalm 103:19). Nothing in heaven or on earth is outside of His rule and authority. He does not react to events but sovereignly ordains or permits them to run their course. Although we cannot know for certain if He has sent a catastrophe or allowed it, we can trust in His goodness and wisdom.
The Lord loves people and wants them to be saved (John 3:16-17). Giving His Son for the salvation of the world proves without a doubt that He loves each person. This truth stands firm despite the fact that many reject the Savior. He cares for us, even when we can't feel it or won't accept it.
God works circumstances for His good purpose (Isa. 46:10). Though we can't fully comprehend what He's doing in each incident, every disaster is a wake-up call for humanity. God is alerting us to the need for repentanceᾢso the lost can be saved and the saved can be revived to live totally for Him. The Lord wants to get our attention, and catastrophes open our ears to hear from Him.
The One who loves us perfectly is in full control, working everything out according to His plan. Knowing this should fill us with hope, even in the midst of crisis situations. The Lord promises to turn disaster to good for those who "are called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28).
Whenever a great disaster strikes, legitimate questions spring to mind. Why does the Lord let such things happen? Couldn't He have stopped this? Doesn't He care? The magnitude of death and destruction caused by earthquakes, tornadoes, or floods disrupts our everyday thoughts and causes us to seek explanations for suffering.
Often the answers people come up with are based on their relationship with God. Those who know nothing of Him have no frame of reference for understanding how He works. Believers, on the other hand, have the Bible to guide them as they wrestle through these issues. But even then, the accuracy of one's perspective is determined by his or her knowledge of God's Word. Those with limited understanding may very well reach inaccurate conclusions.
We must guard against attempts at forcing the Lord to act the way we think He should. If He does something that won't fit into the "box" we've devised for Him, we easily become upset, angry, or confused. God will never stay within the parameters we set for Him. Since we are mortal and sinful, we have a very narrow perspective and understanding of life. But our eternal, sinless, sovereign, and omniscient Creator sees and knows what we cannot perceive.
We want to be sure that our viewpoint of God's role in natural disasters comes from the Bible, not from our own limited perspective. Scripture tells us of the Lord's love, faithfulness, and wisdom. Whenever we cannot understand His ways, faith in His goodness must be our foundation.
