Oftentimes themes seem to occur repeatedly in our lives. It is comparable to when people are talking about a specific topic. For example, you might be discussing the future purchase of a car. After the discussion, by way of mysterious magic, car ads start flooding your social media feed. What makes it scarier is the feed is not only filled with cars, but the car you specifically wanted also appears. What was discussed in private has now made its way into every part of your life. Discouragement has become the top story in my news feed of life. Like the slick trick of a magician, it’s gone, then all of a sudden, it reappears. When something continually presents itself in our lives, it is always good to stop, pray and meditate on why it’s there. I believed that coming up with analogies to correctly explain our experience with discouragement would be an easy task. However, since it is slick and tricky it took some time. But do not be discouraged, I have discovered discouragement comes in two forms.
The first form of discouragement is something like a virus. It seeps into our body, heart, mind and soul unbeknownst to us. It is akin to a run-in I had with a 10-inch bass. While removing a hook from the mouth of a small bass the dorsal fin happened to prick my pinky finger. It hurt a little. Once the bass was tossed in the water, the pain was out of sight, out of mind. Later on, that little bass was not so out of sight, nor out of mind. Three days later this little bass had infected me. While playing golf, my hand began to throb with sharp pain. Even the smallest movement of my pinky finger sent pain up my arm to my neck. After discussion with a doctor, a cleaning with hydrogen peroxide was all that was needed to cure the infection within a day or two.
Discouragement can get us just like this bass got me. We think it’s no big deal, until even the thought of moving our little pinky finger makes us squirm. This is how the evil one likes to operate. It’s not always some quick uppercut punch from life. It’s slow and methodical. A pinprick here. A minor disingenuous comment there. Death by 1,000 cuts. Before we know it, the virus of discouragement has spread unabated, placing us in the deep darkness of doubt—leaving us paralyzed to do God’s will. While the devil loves to use subtlety, he also loves the grandiose. He’s not always hiding in the shadows. As Peter says in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Let’s make this more relatable.
The 1958 horror classic the Blob is a perfect example of how discouragement can come for us. It’s not secretive. Nor is it subtle. It breaks through doors and busts out windows. The Blob of Discouragement devours everything in its path, including people. You can see the real-life Blob of Discouragement by just turning on the news. The headlines and stories will undoubtedly be discouraging. Another natural disaster, followed by a school shooting and unnecessary deaths caused by war. It may seem this Blob of Discouragement is out of control. I am here to tell you, it’s not.
Satan tends to get all the credit for our discouragement and rightfully so. However, we sometimes give him too much credit. While I do not know the exact reason why God allows bad things to happen to good people. I do know God is in control, when evil things take place. Job 1:6-12 and Job 2:1-10 gives us a glimpse into the spiritual realm of good and evil. We see a conversation between God and Satan concerning his faithful servant, Job. What we see is Satan needs permission to conduct his schemes. He is not just running around wildly like a rabid creature. Once again, I do not fully know why God allows all evil things to happen. So be prepared what I will say next may surprise you. I hope it doesn’t discourage you.
God sometimes uses discouragement to teach, grow, and renew. Jeremiah was tasked with being a prophet. From what I know, being a prophet for Israel is a high honor. You think it might be kind of fun. Jeremiah’s situation was anything of the sort. God gives him a task, alright. This task is found in Jeremiah 1:9-10
“Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth (Jeremiah). And the Lord said to me, Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”
If these were the words God put on your lips or mine, it would be pretty discouraging. Pluck, destroy, overthrow – God’s own people? I’m not saying that! Not only am I going to be discouraged but this would cause mass discouragement among the nation. The part we’re missing is the last four words. We get so caught in the discouragement we miss the encouragement. God wants to till the soil to build and plant. To renew our hearts and our souls.
Job is restored double of everything he lost (42:10-17). He gets health and family. You might be like Job – not quite sure where the discouragement is coming from. You may relate to Jeremiah and know exactly why and where the discouragement came from.
Know that in either case of discouragement Christ plans to restore you. He may restore you now. Our present restoration is from the gift of the Spirit. The Spirit breathes life into our helpless souls. Just like Jesus breathing the Spirit into his disciples, who were discouraged by the recent loss of their Savior. Jesus turns their discouragement into encouragement. Being Spirit-led, the disciples took the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the known ends of the earth. In your life, Jesus will use the Spirit to break the spiritual paralysis caused by discouragement.
If peace from your discouragement feels fleeting in this fallen, broken world because of physical, mental or emotional brokenness, then hear words of encouragement from Jesus in John 5:28-29.
“Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.”
Not just some or many, but all will hear and experience resurrection during Jesus’ second coming. Those who have done evil will receive their due judgment, which is separation from God. Those who are found in Christ will have the resurrection of eternal life. This eternal life with Christ is free from the slick trick of discouragement.
So no longer allow discouragement to paralyze you from God’s will. Rather allow Christ to turn discouragement into encouragement. To bring glory to God and love to people around you.
Lit Lamp For The Soul 
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