The late Rev. Billy Graham once said, "The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, 'O God, forgive me,' or 'Help me.'"
If someone like Billy Graham could experience bouts of discouragement during his walk of faith, what does this say for the rest of us? It says that we are all human! And as such, we will encounter times when we feel our faith start to dwindle.
According to the NIV Thematic Study Bible, "discouragement" for a believer is: "A sense of unhappiness arising from a loss of confidence in one’s own abilities, in the reliability of God or in the power of the gospel."
As Billy Graham referred to above, a "Christian life" is not an easy journey. But then, no one ever said it would be (John 16:33). It certainly wasn't any easier for people in the Bible. They too struggled with discouragement.
For instance, not long after leaving Egypt the Israelites became discouraged with God and Moses in the desert (Numbers 21:4-5). They wrongly thought their journey to the Promised Land was going to be a walk in the park.
Israel ran into some obstacles along the way, then wanted to return to Egypt (Numbers 14:4). For the Christian, discouragement seems to most notably arise when we run into resistance to the gospel, or during times of personal turmoil.
What can the Christian do when "discouragement" emerges? Fortunately, we do have resources available to us that we can turn to. Not surprisingly, Scripture provides "encouragement" for those experiencing "discouragement."
Let me provide some examples of prayer: Galatians 6:9; Romans 15:13; Isaiah 41:10; Philippians 4:6-7; Joshua 1:9; Zechariah 9:12. We also need endurance to push through it: Romans 5:3-4; James 1:12-18; Hebrews 10:36 ; Colossians 1:11.
Most importantly, we mustn't forget God in all of this: Deuteronomy 31:6; 1 Chronicles 28:20; Psalm 34:18; Jeremiah 30:10; 2 Chronicles 20:15, 17. These few examples hopefully show that God will never let us flounder without help.
Like many other things in the Christian life, we experience these bumps in the road for a reason. The end game is maturity in faith. Oswald Chambers, an early-twentieth-century Scottish Baptist evangelist phrased it masterfully:
"If you are going through a time of discouragement, there is a time or great personal growth ahead."
The tree that never learns to bend in the wind, will snap at the first storm. Thus, the Christian life, without being tested every now and then, will never reach its full potential. Many never grasp this lesson and simply give up too soon.
Jesus did not have it easy while here on earth. His path was never smooth or obstacle-free. If anyone had the right to be discouraged, it would have been Him. Instead, He left an example for us to follow. "...with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26).
Scripture: James 1:3; 1 Corinthians 9:24; Matthew 24:13; Romans 5:3; Revelation 14:12
Prayer: "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him." - Psalm 28:7
In His name,
Leigh
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