Fighting Discouragement
Read Psalm 77
I cried out to God for help;
I cried out to God to hear me.
2 When I was in distress, I sought the Lord;
at night I stretched out untiring hands,
and I would not be comforted.
3 I remembered you, God, and I groaned;
I meditated, and my spirit grew faint.
4 You kept my eyes from closing;
I was too troubled to speak.
5 I thought about the former days,
the years of long ago;
6 I remembered my songs in the night.
My heart meditated and my spirit asked:
7 “Will the Lord reject forever?
Will he never show his favor again?
8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
Has his promise failed for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be merciful?
Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”
10 Then I thought, “To this I will appeal:
the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.
11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
12 I will consider all your works
and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”
13 Your ways, God, are holy.
What god is as great as our God?
14 You are the God who performs miracles;
you display your power among the peoples.
15 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,
the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.
16 The waters saw you, God,
the waters saw you and writhed;
the very depths were convulsed.
17 The clouds poured down water,
the heavens resounded with thunder;
your arrows flashed back and forth.
18 Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind,
your lightning lit up the world;
the earth trembled and quaked.
19 Your path led through the sea,
your way through the mighty waters,
though your footprints were not seen.
20 You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
Big Idea: Praise and prayer combat discouragement.
Do you ever just wake up in a funk? For no apparent reason you can wake up feeling a little grumpy or discouraged. I woke up that way the other day. Nothing had happened but I felt discouraged and wanted to crawl back in bed and pull the covers over my head. I mentioned how I was feeling to a trusted friend, and they asked if they could pray for me. As this friend went to the Father on my behalf, I felt the weight of discouragement lift from my shoulders like a cloud that moved from blocking the sun.
Satan is actively working to do everything he can to keep you trapped in sin, addiction, unforgiveness, and shame with the goal to steal, kill, and destroy your life (John 10:10). But if Satan can’t trip you up in any of those things, often he will attack you with discontentment and discouragement. Because if he can get you discouraged and discontent, you will stop being satisfied in God and His plan. How do we combat discouragement and discontentment when it tries to overtake us?
1- Remember. In this Psalm, the author remembered the deeds of God. He remembered His faithfulness long ago. As he recounted all that God had done for him, his heart began to overflow in praise and thanksgiving. Praise is a weapon against discouragement because it lifts our head from looking at ourselves to “fix our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1-2). How has God delivered you? What were you like before? What blessings has He brought? Who is like Him and what compares? Write it down or say out loud! Begin to praise Him and watch discouragement and discontentment run as you delight in His presence.
2- Pray. There is a real enemy out there. Paul says in Ephesians 6:10-18 that we need to put on the full armor of God and pray at all times. So when you feel your mind attacked, pray. Ask others to pray with you. Our prayers and praying together with believers combats the enemy and produces powerful results (James 5:13-18)!
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