The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged- Deuteronomy 31:28 NIV

Discouragement. 

It’s just kind of an ugly word. 

It’s an even uglier reality.

The Cambridge dictionary defines discouragement as:

The state of having lost your confidence or enthusiasm. 

With all due respect to the word wizards at Cambridge, a protracted case of discouragement is much more serious than merely losing one’s confidence or enthusiasm for a situation. If discouragement goes on for long enough it’s a fast-track to depression, despondency and hopelessness. 

Because discouragement can be so demoralizing, it one of the most powerful tools in Satan’s toolbox. The enemy understands that if he can bring enough trouble, pain and pressure into our lives in a short enough of period of time it is possible we will become so discouraged our faith in the goodness of God will collapse like a house of cards in a hurricane (1st Peter 5:8). A lingering case of discouragement can leave us angry and bitter towards God (Hebrews 12:15, Ephesians 4:26). It’s just too easy to conclude that our all-powerful God has ordained whatever situation feels so unending and bleak. 

God is big enough to handle our feelings, even the really ugly ones. However, this does not mean we should allow anger with God to go unchecked indefinitely. Anger towards God becomes problematic when in our anger we quit seeking and serving God (Galatians 6:9, Matthew 6:13-16). Anytime our desire to do good and glorify God is lessened in any way we are well on our way either a life of spiritual rebellion and sin or lukewarm Christianity. Both lead to spiritual ineffectiveness and eventually even deeper despair. 

It’s simply a fact that we are most likely to hit our limits, encounter a season of discouragement and experience spiritual warfare when we are busy seeking God and doing exactly what He wants us to do.  Self-focused, unruly or wayward Christians create no problems or issues for the enemy (Proverbs 1:32). As a result, he tends to just leave them alone. 

Sigh. 

Discouragement occurs anytime a limited being hits a limit. Human beings are by nature limited beings. The limits that stretch our ability to cope can be physical, emotional, mental or spiritual in nature. Anytime we go through a season where we hit all our limits all at the same time there’s a pretty good chance the discouragement we are experiencing is a spiritual weapon Satan is attempting to form against us (Isaiah 54:17). Prayer is without question the most powerful weapon we have in our spiritual tool box. We will never come out of a season of discouragement stronger and healthier without it. (Matthew 26:41, Ephesians 6:18-20, Romans 8:26). No season of life (good or bad) goes on indefinitely. This (whatever “this” is) will pass. In the meantime, there are four things God wants us to ask Him for in a season of discouragement.

The first is:

 Spiritual effectiveness- 

Few Christians have faced the kind of trouble, discouragement and hardship the Apostle Paul experienced (2ndCorinthians 11:24-28, 2nd Corinthians 4:7-16). Anytime the going got tough Paul would ask his friends to pray for increased spiritual effectiveness (Romans 15:30, Colossians 4:3, Ephesians 6:19, Philippians1:19). Paul wisely understood that struggle and difficulty brings with it great opportunity for spiritual effectiveness, personal growth and fruit. We should follow his lead and pray for spiritual effectiveness in our personal struggle or hardship.  

Spiritual insight- 

 God does not bring hardship in to our lives to punish us. That said, God does use the difficulties of living in a fallen world to refine us, grow us, and make us more like Jesus. If a season of discouragement is handled with wisdom and integrity it will result in greater spiritual insight and a deeper commitment to Jesus. The key to growth in a season of discouragement is to seek God with a greater intensity in spite of any discouragement we feel. When we seek God in the face of pain and/or spiritual confusion God blesses our faith with greater wisdom, understanding and insight. 

Grace-

Grace is so much more than simply the kindness and forgiveness God shows to unworthy sinners (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 3:23-24). Grace is the empowering presence of God that allows us to do more and endure more than we ever could in our own strength (2nd Corinthians 12:8-10). In seasons of hardship God’s grace is critical not just to our spiritual growth but also to our emotional survival. Everyday should begin with a prayer for an extra measure of grace. 

To get the work done-

Christians are called to be continually on mission for Jesus (Matthew 28:19, Matthew 5:13-16, Philippians 2:12-16). This means doing whatever work we have been called to do in spite of our circumstances (1st Chronicles 28:20). The details of our “work” in the Lord is different for everyone. For all of us it means living righteously and doing our best to bring the hope of Jesus into whatever situation God has called us into.

Seasons of discouragement are almost always a test of our faith and spiritual resiliency.  If we persevere through a discouraging season it always leads to a refining of our faith and a deeper understanding of who we are in Christ (1st Peter 1:3-9). Being refined is always difficult and painful, but the results are beautiful.