Reasons Why We Should Not Be Discouraged

Many times, in our lives, we get discouraged and we don’t know why. When the children of Israel were wondering in the desert, they got discouraged and wanted to go back to Egypt because they did not know the power of God. Their minds and thoughts were in Egypt, so they stayed stagnate complaining of what they thought they had instead of focusing on what they did have.

Discouragement is not trusting in the present and the future because of past experiences.

Numbers 21:4-5 “⁴ Then they traveled from Mount Hor on the road toward the Sea of Suf in order to go around the land of Edom; but the people’s tempers grew short because of the detour. ⁵ The people spoke against God and against Moshe: ‘Why did you bring us up out of Egypt? To die in the desert? There’s no real food, there’s no water, and we’re sick of this miserable stuff we’re eating!’” (CJB)

Discouragement is when we don’t know how things will come out.

There was a woman who was giving birth to twins. She was having severe pain, so much so that she became discouraged and wanted to die.

What did she do?

Rivkah (Rebekah) asked God what was happening within her?

Genesis 25:22-23 “²² The children fought with each other inside her so much that she said, ‘If it’s going to be like this, why go on living?’ So, she went to inquire of Adonai, ²³ who answered her, ‘There are two nations in your womb. From birth they will be two rival peoples. One of these peoples will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.’” (CJB)

Discouragement is the voice telling you that you can’t do something, the voice saying that you will never be happy, have security, have peace, be healthy, or that you will never be able to surpass above where you are right now.

There was a man who said this: “Terrors tumble over me, chasing my honor away like the wind; my [hope of] salvation passes like a cloud. ¹⁶ ‘So now my life is ebbing away, days of grief have seized me.’” (Job 30:15-16, CJB)

What did this man do?

He continued to believe and repented.

Despite all the wrong things that were happening to Job, he said:

Job 42:1-6 ¹ “Then [at last,] Iyov gave Adonai this answer: ² ‘I know that you can do everything, that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ³ “[You asked,] ‘Who is this, hiding counsel, without having knowledge?’ Yes, I spoke, without understanding, of wonders far beyond me, which I didn’t know. ⁴ “Please listen, and I will speak. [You said,] ‘I will ask questions; and you, give me answers’ ⁵ I had heard about you with my ears, but now my eye sees you; ⁶ therefore I detest [myself] and repent in dust and ashes.” (CJB)

Discouragement is a feeling of hopelessness, a feeling that there is an obstacle that keeps pushing you back. Discouragement comes when someone lets us down.

There was a man that was in prison who was zealous for God by telling people to turn to Him, but the people would not listen; therefore, because the people were not listening to him, God told him:

“Even if Moshe and Sh’mu’el were standing in front of me, my heart would not turn toward this people! Drive them out of my sight, get them out of here!

Those destined for death — to death!
Those destined for the sword — to the sword!
Those destined for famine — to famine!
Those destined for captivity — to captivity!” (Jeremiah 15:1-2, CJB)

Jeremiah’s heart was unease.

“Why is my pain unending,
my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?
Will you be for me like a deceptive vadi,
which is only sometimes filled with water?” (Jeremiah 15:18, CJB)

What did Jeremiah do?

Trust

Jeremiah 30:25 “^(31:1) ‘When that time comes,’ says Adonai, ‘I will be God of all the clans of Isra’el, and they will be my people.’” (CJB)

Discouragement is caused by many factors.

Anxiety, depression, loneliness, experience, and problems which we think cannot be solved along with abuse, negligence, shame, hidden secrets, bullies, and also a lost tangible object.

Are you experiencing discouragement?

Reasons you should not be discourage

The Covenant

Deuteronomy 7:12-15 “¹² Because you are listening to these rulings, keeping and obeying them, Adonai your God will keep with you the covenant and mercy that he swore to your ancestors. ¹³ He will love you, bless you and increase your numbers; he will also bless the fruit of your body and the fruit of your ground — your grain, wine, olive oil and the young of your cattle and sheep — in the land he swore to your ancestors that he would give you. ¹⁴ You will be blessed more than all other peoples; there will not be a sterile male or female among you, and the same with your livestock. ¹⁵ Adonai will remove all illness from you — he will not afflict you with any of Egypt’s dreadful diseases, which you have known; instead, he will lay them on those who hate you.” (CJB)

Justice

Deuteronomy 7:19 “¹⁹ the great ordeals which you yourself saw, and the signs, wonders, strong hand and outstretched arm by which Adonai your God brought you out. Adonai will do the same to all the peoples of whom you are afraid.” (CJB)

Battle

Deuteronomy 7:21-24 “²¹ You are not to be frightened of them, because Adonai your God is there with you, a God great and fearsome. ²² Adonai your God will expel those nations ahead of you little by little; you can’t put an end to them all at once, or the wild animals will become too numerous for you. ²³ Nevertheless, Adonai your God will give them over to you, sending one disaster after another upon them until they have been destroyed. ²⁴ He will hand their kings over to you, and you will wipe out their name from under heaven; none of them will be able to stand against you until you have destroyed them.” (CJB)

Provider

Deuteronomy 8:7-10 “⁷ For Adonai your God is bringing you into a good land, a land with streams, springs and water welling up from the depths in valleys and on hillsides. ⁸ It is a land of wheat and barley, grapevines, fig trees and pomegranates; a land of olive oil and honey; ⁹ a land where you will eat food in abundance and lack nothing in it; a land where the stones contain iron and the hills can be mined for copper. ¹⁰ So you will eat and be satisfied, and you will bless Adonai your God for the good land he has given you.” (CJB)

Protector

Deuteronomy 9:3 “³ Therefore understand today that Adonai your God will himself cross ahead of you as a devouring fire; he will destroy them and bring them down before you. Thus, will you drive them out and cause them to perish quickly, as Adonai has said to you.” (CJB)

He is always with you.

Deuteronomy 11:10-12 “¹⁰ For the land you are entering in order to take possession of it isn’t like the land of Egypt. There you would sow your seed and had to use your feet to operate its irrigation system, as in a vegetable garden. ¹¹ But the land you are crossing over to take possession of is a land of hills and valleys, which soaks up water when rain falls from the sky. ¹² It is a land Adonai your God cares for. The eyes of Adonai your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.” (CJB)

Blessings

Deuteronomy 11:14-15 “¹⁴ then, [says Adonai,] ‘I will give your land its rain at the right seasons, including the early fall rains and the late spring rains; so that you can gather in your wheat, new wine and olive oil; ¹⁵ and I will give your fields grass for your livestock; with the result that you will eat and be satisfied.’” (CJB)

Next time when you are feeling discouragement, remember:

Hold on to your promises and remember the covenant.