Life has its high
points and low points, ups and downs, and encouragements and discouragements.
This issue of Freshly Bru’d is going to focus on those lows, downs, and
discouraging times. What do you do when you are discouraged?
First, you need to determine what is causing the discouragement. Maybe you’re fatigued or out of energy. Maybe you are trying to shoulder the pressures, problems, and challenges of everybody else at home or at work.
Take a deep breath and transfer the stress off of your shoulders and place it on God’s. Jesus said “Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Maybe you need to take a vacation, start a regular exercise program, start watching your nutrition, or develop a hobby to help you. But it all starts with transferring the burden from you to God.
Now maybe you are discouraged because you feel like you’ve failed your family, your co-workers, or failed your dreams. If this is the cause of the discouragement, listen to God’s word. “There is, therefore, no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” God does not condemn you. He loves you. He is on your side. The Bible says “If God be for us, who can be against us?”
Maybe you’re discouraged because of fear. Perhaps a fear that things will not turn out as you have prayed, a fear of the unknowns in life, a fear that you are undeserving of any kind of blessing, or fear of too much responsibility in a given situation.
Whatever the fear, you can choose to resist the discouragement. Say, “God, help me get my eyes off the fear, off the circumstance, and keep my eyes on You.” Tension in life is a warning that you have taken your eyes off the Lord. When you get tense, it’s God saying, “You’ve lost your focus.”
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee.”
Resist the devil and his discouragement. He will do whatever it takes to divert you, discourage you, and defeat you in hopes to destroy you. “Resist the devil and his tactics and he will flee from you.”
Pray this prayer: Heavenly Father, I am discouraged today because of (name the discouragement). I need a touch from Your loving hands today. Teach me to transfer the burdens off of my shoulders and place them upon Yours. Help me realize that sometimes You have to make me lie down in green pastures in order to get my attention. Help me spend time by those still waters that will restore my soul. Grant me a new focus. Renew my strength, my mind, my purpose. Encourage my heart today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
First, you need to determine what is causing the discouragement. Maybe you’re fatigued or out of energy. Maybe you are trying to shoulder the pressures, problems, and challenges of everybody else at home or at work.
Take a deep breath and transfer the stress off of your shoulders and place it on God’s. Jesus said “Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Maybe you need to take a vacation, start a regular exercise program, start watching your nutrition, or develop a hobby to help you. But it all starts with transferring the burden from you to God.
Now maybe you are discouraged because you feel like you’ve failed your family, your co-workers, or failed your dreams. If this is the cause of the discouragement, listen to God’s word. “There is, therefore, no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” God does not condemn you. He loves you. He is on your side. The Bible says “If God be for us, who can be against us?”
Maybe you’re discouraged because of fear. Perhaps a fear that things will not turn out as you have prayed, a fear of the unknowns in life, a fear that you are undeserving of any kind of blessing, or fear of too much responsibility in a given situation.
Whatever the fear, you can choose to resist the discouragement. Say, “God, help me get my eyes off the fear, off the circumstance, and keep my eyes on You.” Tension in life is a warning that you have taken your eyes off the Lord. When you get tense, it’s God saying, “You’ve lost your focus.”
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee.”
Resist the devil and his discouragement. He will do whatever it takes to divert you, discourage you, and defeat you in hopes to destroy you. “Resist the devil and his tactics and he will flee from you.”
Pray this prayer: Heavenly Father, I am discouraged today because of (name the discouragement). I need a touch from Your loving hands today. Teach me to transfer the burdens off of my shoulders and place them upon Yours. Help me realize that sometimes You have to make me lie down in green pastures in order to get my attention. Help me spend time by those still waters that will restore my soul. Grant me a new focus. Renew my strength, my mind, my purpose. Encourage my heart today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Blessings,
P.S. What do the bread and cup represent in Communion? How is God’s presence experienced in Communion? Join us Sunday at 9:15 and 11:00 as we focus on Communion.
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