Life can sometimes feel overwhelming, leaving us discouraged and uncertain. In those moments, it’s important to hold onto hope and remember the promises found in scripture. If you’re looking for hope for when you feel discouraged, these 10 truths based on God’s Word will help lift your spirit and remind you that you are never alone in your struggles.
~~~
Tears dripped softly on the pillow, taking me a bit by surprise, as I’m not usually much of a crier. In the darkness of the room, I whispered a brief prayer, “Where are these coming from, Lord?” I waited a few moments before sensing a whisper to my heart, “You’re discouraged. Even encouragers need encouragement.”
Discouraged…yes, that was it. It was as if a movie played across the imagination of my mind, reminding me of several things that had contributed to discouragement recently. “Lord, will you please encourage my heart?”
I’ve jokingly referred to myself over the years as a bit of a “professional encourager.” I love to encourage others. But what happens when the encourager grows discouraged?
Have you ever gone through a time of discouragement?
- A time when all you wanted was for God to wrap you in his arms and assure you that you’d get through your current situation?
- A time when you longed for someone to speak truth and assure you that God will see you through your current set of circumstances?
- A time when you doubted yourself or your abilities and longed for someone to assure you that you were doing a good job?
I’ve been there.
Last fall, I sensed God warning me that I needed to take a period of “extended rest” for the sake of my health. I had no idea the battles that would ensue, but he did, and he was forewarning me that I was going to have to fight by resting.
Anyone who knows me knows that I am a “get-er-done-girl.” Give me a dozen tasks with deadlines and I will work tirelessly to completion. But sometimes too much of a good thing is a bad thing.
I worked for decades like that, and last fall, found myself in a place of burnout. Maybe that place of burnout made it easier to acquiesce to God’s call for me to rest. And yet, it hasn’t been easy. I’ve found myself feeling lazy and purpose-less, and perhaps worst of all, discouraged. I needed hope to hold onto in my discouragement. Maybe you do, too. It’s my prayer that the following post gives you a dose of hope for when you feel discouraged.
When I feel discouraged, it’s an open door for the enemy to come in and begin whispering his lies. Feeling tired and burned out by ministry, left me weak in battle. Health challenges only exacerbated the fight. And discouragement overcame me.
I began asking questions that suggested I was at least listening to, if not believing, the enemy’s lies:
- God, do you still love me?
- God, do you care? God, have you forgotten me?
- God, if I’m not ministering to others, what is my purpose?
- God, is there purpose in this pain?
- God, have you benched me?
If you’ve had similar questions, I would love to know about them in the comments below.
The only way to fight the enemy’s lies is with God’s truth. Could God speak quietly to my heart and answer these heart-felt questions?
Yes.
But I think he wanted me to go on a scavenger hunt and search for myself because the truth is, he already had answered my questions in the truth of his word:
10 truths from God’s Word that will give you hope when you feel discouraged
1. We are loved.
John 3:16 (NIV) assures us that “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (emphasis mine). Friend, you are whosoever. I am whosoever. If you or I were the only ones living on earth, God sent Jesus for us, out of his love for us.
In my discouragement, it was tempting to believe that God no longer loved me, but Romans 8:38-39 (NIV) assured me, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Neither my doubt nor my discouragement could make God stop loving me.
I don’t know what you might feel disqualifies you from the love of God, but it just isn’t so. God’s love for us isn’t dependent on what we do, but on whose we are: “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1 NIV)
On one particularly discouraging day, I shared my feelings with my husband and he said, “I can’t take your discouragement away, but I know how much nature reminds you of God’s love, so I’m going to pray you see hummingbirds at the feeders today to encourage your heart.” Wouldn’t you know, I not only saw hummingbirds flitting from one of my feeders to another that day, but every day since, and it did encourage my heart.
2. We are forgiven.
I know myself pretty well, and I know all the mistakes I’ve made. My brokenness and my sinfulness often contributes to discouragement. Even Paul declared, “For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing” (Romans 7:18-19 NIV).
And yet, Matthew 26:27-28 (NIV) assures me of God’s forgiveness: “Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”
We do not deserve God’s forgiveness, but Christ paid the price so that we could be forgiven by God. God forgives us out of his grace, not because we deserve it. Ephesians 1:7 (NIV) reminds us that “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”
Rather out of the blue, a friend texted and apologized for something she had done. I told her there was no need for apology…I had already offered forgiveness and chosen not to pick up an offense. During that exchange, I felt God saying, “Your sins, too, have been forgiven. It’s up to you to receive the forgiveness I have offered.” That encouraged my heart.
3. We are chosen.
Discouragement frequently follows feelings of rejection or abandonment. Yet, Ephesians 1:4-6 assures that before God even created the earth, we were on his mind and chosen as his children: “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.”
Often, discouragement comes on the heels of comparison. When I compare myself to what others are doing or have achieved, I grow discouraged as I begin to believe that what God has for me is inferior to that of others.
The truth is, God has chosen me and appointed me to do good things which bear fruit for his kingdom, according to John 15:16 (NIV): “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit–fruit that will last–and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.”
I sat on our deck one morning watching the daily migration of the duck community glide across the lake. My phone pinged alerting me to an instant message from a friend. She was actually sharing a photo of a text she had received from a friend of hers to whom she had suggested my book, The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms. She shared with my friend how much my posts encourage her. I had been chosen to write such resources, as ill-equipped as I felt, but they were encouraging others and that in turn encouraged me.
4. God helps us.
Frequently, discouragement results when I’m depending on myself, or I’m depending on God but I’m not seeing the results I desire fast enough. Discouragement dissipates when we recognize that our help truly does come from God, and God alone. Psalm 121:1-2 (NIV) reminds us, “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
People will let us down, just as we will let them down, but God delights in helping his children. “Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me” (Psalm 54:4 NIV). Not only does God help us, but he sustains us, and that is something we need especially when we feel discouraged.
When the physical pain was too much to bear, I reached out to a couple of friends and requested prayer. A couple days later one such friend texted to see how I was feeling. I updated her on my status and then she asked if there was anything else she could do other than pray. There was nothing I could think of, but just the offer reminded me that God provides for our needs and helps us.
5. Jesus and the Holy Spirit prays for us.
In my doubt, in my despair, in my discouragement, I’ve often found myself at a loss for words regarding what to pray. But even then, God helps, as Romans 8:26-27 assures: “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God” (NIV).
When I am discouraged and lack the words to pray, I am encouraged when I consider the Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God praying for me! “Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” (Romans 8:34 NIV).
One evening, I sat balled up on the couch in tears from excruciating pain. My bones felt like they were on fire and I didn’t know what to do or how much more I could bear. Within a couple hours, several friends whom I hadn’t heard from in quite some time texted to let me know they were praying for me and that God would provide respite from the pain. Since I had not shared with them my current state, I knew God was prompting them to pray, just as Jesus and the Holy Spirit pray for us when we don’t know what to pray. Just knowing they were praying gave me enough strength to finish out the day.
6. God guides us.
Discouragement can lead to poor choices and rash decisions. It can lead us to believe that we have to figure out our own way out of the cave. Yet, God assures us that he will guide us, especially when we remain in his word: “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (Psalm 119:105 NIV).
God has given us free will, which includes the free will to make our decisions and decide what path to take. Yet, excluding God from those decisions will often lead to more discouragement. When we include him in those decisions, seeking his will, he promises to guide us. “Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take” (Proverbs 3:6 NLT).
As I took my daily walk one day recently, I engaged in nonstop prayerful conversation with the Lord. I had a situation that I wasn’t sure how to proceed, and I needed his wisdom. I admitted my confusion, and the fact that I know God is not the author of confusion, and prayed leaving the situation in God’s hands. Soon after returning home, I received a phone call alerting me to a change in the situation and making it clear the path for me to move forward. I was encouraged knowing God guided me in that situation.
7. God has given us the battle plan.
God loves us so much that he warned us who our real enemy is and gave us the battle plan to use to fight, whether the battle is discouragement or something else. Ephesians 6:10-17 (NIV) tells us how to win the battle: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
“You know who the real enemy is,” my friend reminded. “Take those thoughts captive and declare that you will not come into agreement with the enemy.” I did know, and I needed the gentle reminder that neither my current circumstance nor the people involved were the real problem. The real problem was the enemy who tried to take my eyes off Jesus. Once I determined to keep him under my heal, and focus on God who promises to give wisdom, provide for us, and make all things new, my heart felt lifted from the weight of discouragement.
8. Praise silences the enemy.
When we feel discouraged, we often don’t feel like praising God, but it is in those times that I have found it to be so important for two reasons.
First, scripture assures us in Psalm 22:3 that God inhabits the praises of his people: “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel” (NKJV).
Secondly, Psalm 8:1-2 tells us that our praise silences our enemy. “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants You have ordained praise on account of Your adversaries, to silence the enemy and to still the avenge.” Because of that, when we are discouraged, praise is another weapon in our arsenal.
I don’t know about you, but when times are the toughest, it’s often hardest to offer praise to God. But I also know that even when I don’t feel like praising God, when I play praise and worship music, I can’t help but sing or hum along. And when I do, discouragement abates and I feel encouraged. It happens almost every time!
9. God who is in us is greater than anything that tries to come against us.
Discouragement can feel like a 100-pound sandbag tied to our waste as we try to navigate life, much too heavy for us to carry on our own. Fortunately, we don’t have to. 1 John 4:4 (NIV) assures us, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”
When Jesus dwells within us, we have victory because he is greater than the prince of the air. In our own strength, we are weak, but having accepted Christ as our savior ensures that we aren’t relying on our own strength but his. First Corinthians 15:57 (NIV) assures us of such victory: “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Doctors didn’t have encouraging words to offer, and I felt my spirit plummet. But after walking out of the medical office, I sat in my car in silent prayer. “God, I know what the doctor says, but what do you say? You are healer and you are good.”
The enemy tries to discourage us by getting us to focus on facts, and while facts are often important, they never trump the truth of God’s Word. His promises are true, and He will have the final say and prove that He is greater than whatever tries to come against us.
10. God works all things together for our good.
Even during times of discouragement, I am encouraged to remember that God loves me so much that he never wastes our pain and promises to work things together for our good and for his glory. Romans 8:28 (NIV) assures us, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
I’m grateful God works ALL things together for good…including times of discouragement. I have seen that in my own life because such times of discouragement have caused me to lean into his word with greater fierceness, like my life depends on it. God is never the author of discouragement—that comes from the father of lies. God will, however, use for good what the enemy intended for evil. “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:20 NIV).
In your times of discouragement, ask God to show you how he’s using your circumstances for good and for his glory. It may not happen the way we desire it to, or in the time we hope, but God knows what is best and his timing is perfect.
I haven’t always been grateful for my circumstances, but I am learning to be grateful for the fruit that results from my trials. Trials teach me about the character of God: His goodness and faithfulness and steadfastness. And trials teach me perseverance and in persevering, I become more like Christ…the ultimate goal of our daily walk. If nothing else comes from my trials, becoming more Christ-like is enough!
Which one of these biblical truths encourages you the most when you are feeling discouraged? We’d love to know in the comments below. And if there is something else that encourages you, we’d love to know that too!
Feeling discouraged? Discover 10 powerful truths from God's Word that will give you hope and remind you you're never alone. Share on X Going through a tough time? These 10 hope-filled truths from scripture will help you find strength and reassurance that God is always with you. Share on X
Sacred Scars: Resting in God’s Promise that Your Pain is Not Wasted
Now Available!
We all endure trials, pain, and hardship in this life. Too often we believe these experiences disqualify us from being useful to God. But the truth is, your past pain and brokenness serve as preparation for what God wants to do in and through you – if you will surrender to and trust him.
Just as Jesus’s scars didn’t disappear after his resurrection, our emotional or physical scars tell our story and lend credence to our testimony of God’s love and power. If you are ready to turn your past pain into present comfort and future hope, let Dr. Bengtson be your compassionate guide.
Find out more and order here: Sacred Scars
