Overcoming Discouragement

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How many times have we ever become discouraged? I don’t know about you, but it has happened to me many times.

Did anyone in the bible ever become discouraged or have doubt?

Listen to what John the Baptist had his disciples ask Jesus while he was in prison:

^{MT 11:2-3} When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples ³ to ask him, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?"

Is this doubt or discouragement? This same John not too long ago had baptized Jesus and was witness to the following:

^{MT 3:16-17} As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.

¹⁷ And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.

Would you think that after being witness to this, one could still become discouraged and develop doubt? John is proof that you can.  

How about the following example:

^{MT 26:36-41} Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." ³⁷ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸ Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." ³⁹ Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." ⁴⁰ Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. ⁴¹ "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

They fell asleep two more times. Do you think they became discouraged? I would think if you mess up like that you would not only feel bad, but also become discouraged with yourself. If you look at the last sentence of the above verses, you will notice that Jesus said: the Spirit is willing, but the body is weak. In other words he knew that even though they had the desire to do right, there bodies where weak.  

How about another example:

Whenever we start believing we have everything under control and we can handle things, we mess up.

Here is what happened on the night of Jesus arrest. When Jesus said they would all abandon him that night:

MT 26:33-34 Peter replied, "Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will." ³⁴ "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times."

What do you think happened?

 ^{MT 26:69-74} Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. "You also were with Jesus of Galilee," she said. ⁷⁰ But he denied it before them all. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said. ⁷¹ Then he went out to the gateway, where another girl saw him and said to the people there, "This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth." ⁷² He denied it again, with an oath: "I don't know the man!" ⁷³ After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, "Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away." ⁷⁴ Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, "I don't know the man!"

    Immediately a rooster crowed. ⁷⁵ Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly.  

Just like expected Peter messed up and went away crying. Do you think he was discouraged with himself?  

Three examples:

1. John was in jail just because he stood for Jesus and it brought on discouragement.
2. The disciples fell asleep. It doesn’t say they where discouraged because of this, but I would say there is a better then average chance, that they where disappointed in themselves.
3. Peter thought he had it all together and messed up by denying Jesus. He was so disappointed in himself he went away crying.

The point: We all become discouraged, we all mess up.

The good thing, we don’t have to stay that way.

One thing is certain, as long as we are here on this earth, we will mess up and there will be times that we will be discouraged. But we serve an awesome God. Listen to what the bible says:

^{1JN 1:9} If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

^{PS 22:4} In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them.

^{RO 8:1-2} Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, ² because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

In other words, it doesn’t matter what has happened or what we have done, God will grant us forgiveness and purify us. The only thing he asks from us in return is that we receive Jesus as our Lord and savior.  

How do I get saved?

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