THE FIGHT AGAINST DISCOURAGEMENT

Even though we don't like being discouraged, oftentimes we expect it to happen to us. Some have been through so many disappointments that they find it is easier not to expect anything good, so that they don't suffer when things don’t go right. But the Bible teaches us to strive to be like Jesus Christ, to follow His perfect pattern of faith and behavior. Nowhere in the Bible do we read that Jesus woke up upset, that He was having a bad day, or that He expected something bad to happen. If it would have been so, He could not have always comforted the broken-hearted, healed the sick, raised the dead, nor given the teachings He did. And Jesus didn't just help people occasionally, or when He was having a good day. People were constantly coming to Him wherever He was, and He took the time and helped them.

• Matthew 4:24 Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.

 
Scholars who have carefully studied the four Gospels say that of the 3 1/2 years of the Lord's ministry, we only have information of about 50 days. If from such a few days, we learn about so many miracles of the Lord, how many did He really do in total? Especially since many times large crowds of sick people came to Him and He healed them all. The truth is that Jesus' life was full of healing miracles. Jesus could not be discouraged or depressed. He is the God of all comfort and hope!
 
Discouragement is most often the result of our unrealistic expectations. When we imagine that someone or something must be a certain way, or that a certain situation will be resolved as we wish, without a biblical basis, and without the Lord having spoken something specific to us, we are prone to discouragement. When faced with reality, we are discouraged. But if we choose not to give time to negative feelings and pray to the Lord to show us what we should do, we can quickly free ourselves from discouragement and learn to be more realistic about the future.
 
It is mainly up to us to start our day right. If we make rigid plans that we believe cannot be changed, we may face many disappointments. Those around us also have their own plans and most of the time they involve us as well. As a result, we often end up doing what they want and very little of what we had wanted. If we let this trouble us, or make us angry, we have little chance of having a good day. But if we choose to see the good side of what has intervened and changed the course of our day, we can still have peace and even get done some of what we have planned to do. Let's choose to be thankful from the time we wake up, so that we start our day well. By doing so we can have the hope and joy that come from believing that the Lord is doing something good for us. If we don't expect good things to happen to us, it is more than likely that they won’t. Why? Because the enemy is just waiting for us to believe his lies and be discouraged, so he can accomplish his evil plans. Unfortunately, some Christians are so pessimistic that the devil and his minions that are assigned to torment them, can take days off. Why? Because the pessimists keep themselves in the pit of hopelessness and depression by their own will and choices.
 
When it is hard for us to rejoice, it is time to analyze our hearts. Why are we sad, what is stressing us, what is the cause? What direction is our life going? Are we still in God's plan, on the narrow path that leads to heaven, or have we strayed from the right direction? What do we build upon the foundation of faith that we have in Jesus Christ? Gold, silver, precious stones, or wood, hay, and straw? Whenever our thoughts, motives, decisions, and reactions are opposed to the fruit of the Holy Spirit, we know that our hearts are not right with God. Then we must analyze what we feed our hearts with. If whatever we read, watch, or think about is of demonic origin, we have given the enemy access into our lives. The Bible calls Satan, "the prince of the power of the air," in Ephesians 2:2, and we should not be surprised that he has so much influence through television programs, Internet, publications, applications, or social media such as TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, etc. When we realize that what we are chasing is polluting our hearts, keeping us discouraged, and causing us to sin, it is time to do some true "house-cleaning." We must remove from our lives everything that is not pleasing to God. Let's stop saying, "God why do you allow this in my life?" This question does us no good because it is wrong in itself. We have free will and we are the ones who open the door to the enemy through our actions and the choices we make. God wants to help us change and get rid of what hurts us, but we must want to change and ask God for help. Only then, the Lord will light the fire of purification and help us to become free and happy.
 
Let us remember the three young Hebrews from the book of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego (Daniel 3). Because they refused to worship Nebuchadnezzar’s golden statue, they were thrown into the fiery furnace. Did God stop the fire? No. The furious king even demanded that the fire be seven times hotter than normal. He had his mightiest soldiers bind the faithful young men and thrown into the fire that was so hot that those who threw them in were burned alive. As most of us know, the king even saw the three Hebrews walking free from any bonds and unharmed together with a fourth man, "and the form of the fourth was like the Son of God!" (Daniel 3:25). Even though the Lord did not stop Nebuchadnezzar from throwing them into the fiery furnace, He was with them in the fire, protected them from its effects and they were loosed from their bonds completely unharmed. And all those present "saw these men on whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them." (Daniel 3:27). Jesus was with them in the fire. He does the same for us when we trust in Him and live according to His will. When God is truly Lord over our lives, He is Lord over the fires we go through, and if we allow Him, He will do what is best for us, no matter how hot the fires may get.
 
Fiery trials expose our motivations and true colors. The devil knows that at the slightest pressure he can coerce us to show the truth of how real our faith truly is. Trials reveal the truth of who we really believe the Lord is and if we are really living for Him or not. And if the trials make us lose our confidence that the Lord loves us, is with us and will do what is best for us, we will end up being discouraged, unhappy, frustrated, or depressed and some might even forsake the Lord. But we can learn from our mistakes and choose to truly believe and live out our faith that the Lord is in the fire with us and will see us through.
 
Let us not forget that it is up to us to make the right choices, study the Word of God desiring to know Him and spend as much time as possible in His presence, so that we become more like Him. Only by doing so will we be able to live the abundant life that Jesus wants us to live (John 10:10b) and overcome discouragement with true godly encouragement.
 
Here are some verses that teach us to rejoice. If we meditate on them, we can make the right choices and be happier.
 
Psalms 32:11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
 
Psalms 33:1 Rejoice in the Lord, o you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful.
 
Psalms 68:4 Sing to God, sing praises to His name; extol Him who rides on the clouds, by His Name Yah, and rejoice before Him.
 
Psalms 97:12 Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.
 
Isaiah 44:23a Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it! Shout, you lower parts of the earth; break forth into singing, you mountains, o forest, and every tree in it! ...

Isaiah 49:13 Sing, O heavens! Be joyful, O earth! And break out in singing, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted His people and will have mercy on His afflicted.
 
Romans 12:12 Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;
 
Philippians 3:1a Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord…
 
Philippians 4:4-9 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice!

Carmen Pușcaș