Dealing with Discouragement
EVERYONE experiences discouragement.
Discouragement are the feelings we get when things go wrong or turn out different than expected. It can be:
- Feelings of loneliness
- Pain
- Untimely – there is NEVER a good time to feel discouraged
- Selfish – it is ALWAYS about “I” or “me”…
Knowing what discouragement IS helps you and I DEAL with it accordingly. Even though everyone experiences discouragement, not everyone deals with it effectively. Here are some ideas:
- Understand that YOU aren’t alone – because everyone goes through feelings of discouragement, people can relate with you.
- Find someone you can TALK to – a mentor, a neutral friend, accountability group… Finding “someone” is not EVERYONE. Find someone who desires to bring out the BEST in you… not those who bring you down.
- Get ACTIVE – do something that you enjoy and get your mind off of discouragement… and do it regularly.
- WRITE it out – express your thoughts, feelings, and situations… 80% of all professional counselors KNOW that when their patients talk out their issues, they figure it out on their own… in saying that, SAVE your money and GET a notebook…START writing…
- PRAY – know that God desires to hear your prayers and answers YOUR prayers according to HIS great riches in Christ Jesus.
Furthermore, Jesus, who experienced the ultimate discouragement through the cross, spoke about responding to these feelings through His brother James:
- Discouragement BUILDS maturity in our faith – there are times in our lives that we would not grow OTHERWISE...
- Discouragement can be JOYFUL… knowing that God builds us in a deeper faith. Sounds like a crazy though but it is true.
- Discouragement reveals YOUR true colors – do you go to God or blame God? Do you react or respond? How you innately deal with discouragement reveals your maturity level… Are you GROWING in Christ or GROWING in selfishness?
- Discouragements LASTS only for a moment.
How do you deal with discouragement?