Death Of Discouragement

God is with you; through faith in Jesus He is right here. If the Lord physically walked with you throughout the day would you be afraid or discouraged? You of course would be totally encouraged and secure. By faith your Heavenly Father walks with you day in and day out. You are not left out in the cold. You have the resources of a child of God to be strong and courageous. Thus, rise up and receive the grace and strength of the Lord.

Yes life does have its moments and yes there are times of discouragement and fear, but you are not to dwell there. You can be confident because the Lord is preparing the way before you. He is executing the due diligence for your life’s future. He is your advance man as you move forward. There will be bumps along the way, but as long as you follow the Lord He will smooth the way and prepare your path.

Listen to what the Lord says, “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them” (Isaiah 42:6). You can take courage because Christ is your compass and your companion.

Above all, He will never leave you or forsake you. Yes you have and will face difficulties and heartache. Some of the adversity you encounter may feel insurmountable. But do not despair to the point of giving up. He has not left you. Even though it may not always feel like it, He is there. Like a child off at college for the first time, the security and support of their parents seems distant, but mom and dad still love them profusely, though separated by distance.

When you blow it, He is there. When you succeed, He is there. When you are angry and fearful, He is there. He never leaves you. “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:5b). So maybe it is time to slow down and take an inventory of God’s faithfulness over the years. It is at the point of your pain that others look to see if your Christianity works. Anybody can claim Christ when the road is smooth, but what if the bottom falls out and life stinks. Where do others see you turn? Do they see faith or fear?

When you fail and fall on your face, you will succeed if you then fall on your knees in prayer and humbly depend on the Lord. If a fire breaks out we tell our kids to stop, drop and roll. God gently encourages you in your fiery trial, reminding you to stop, drop to your knees and pray. “But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid” (Matthew 14:27). Have I prayerfully received the courage Christ offers?

Related Readings: Joshua 1:9; Psalm 9:9; 1 Corinthians 1:8; Ephesians 6:10

Transformational Living
What did I learn from the Lord in today’s Bible reading?

How will I respond?