Discouragement Dethroned

Occasions for discouragement are many. We live in a fallen world, and we are fallen. Every person experiences degrees of pain and loss, trouble and sorrow, sickness and weakness, betrayal and sudden, shocking setbacks. These do not happen to all in the same measure, but that they happen counsels us to have realistic expectations about our lives in this world.  We must take seriously God’s explanation for life and its troubles. Unbelieving men and practitioners usually assume a chemical imbalance and therefore pharmaceutical solution. God prescribes a spiritual cause and therefore a spiritual solution.

                This first point is not intended to be anti-medication in all situations. It is simply to say that our expectations must fit God’s reality, which defines our reality. If at 60 you decide to practice soccer full-tilt with the local high school team, well, you will likely tweak something. Our mental/emotional/ spiritual state is the fruit of faith/unbelief respecting what God has said about our lives in this world.

                Do not, to take another example, expect to feel good all your life, or even most of it. The list of common ailments is long; uncommon ones happen often enough that feeling good even for a season of life is a miracle, an incredible gift from the Lord. But, as Christians, as followers of Jesus Christ, life’s fallenness and our brokenness should not make us discouraged or morose. It should lead us away from looking for our wellbeing and peace in our physical health, bank accounts, and family relations. There is much we can do to work on these areas, but so that we do not grow discouraged at the slowness of our progress or at God’s providences, I suggest five truths of Scripture to fight against discouragement.

                First, we must come to him as a living Person and great Physician. Ask this question: how do you respond when you experience a life setback, common or uncommon. As a Christian, you follow Jesus Christ. Even more, he is shepherding you. Therefore, train yourself (thoughts, will, emotions) to take all your burdens to him. He is resurrected and reigning in heaven. He is a merciful and sympathetic high priest. He will help and heal you – if not always of the physical malady – remember Paul’s stake in his side – certainly of the discouragement so that you can rejoice. Read, pray, and appropriate 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. Christians are often afflicted and rejoicing. We are different from the world.

                Second, we must trust and obey. Hardship is not a free pass to brood, complain, or withdraw from the saints and corporate worship. One reason, for example, the Lord might have us in the hospital, is to teach us to praise him for health instead of taking it for granted – or have others encourage us – or to chasten us as his children – so that when we are discharged, our first thought is not, “Glad to get out of that place,” but “Where should I be trusting and obeying the Lord more faithfully?” All earthly sorrow and trouble is designed to test our faith and obedience (James 1:3; 1 Pet. 1:7). For this reason, we should welcome difficulty, not avoid or dread it. We do not seek trouble, but we must embrace God’s holy and good purposes in sending it.

                Third, we must preach a constant sermon about the Father’s love for us. Since “many are the afflictions of the righteous,” we tend to forget or distrust our Father’s love. Our earthly parenting shapes our expectations of our heavenly Father. If we had angry or indulgent parents, we expect Him to treat us in the same way. If he says, “NO!,” we assume he does not care for us – or if he sends trouble and hardship, takes away something we love too much and diminishes our dependence and love for him. It is the opposite. He is so wonderful that any “gods before him” makes us miserable – or deludes us and actually discourages. Anything in this life that we rest upon to make us happy more than we rest upon him detracts from our experience of his life. We must examine ourselves on this point. Who is my happiness? What do I insist upon having in order to be content and faithful? Is it the Lord? When sorrow comes, whatever its form, our first thought should be, “This is a gift of my Father’s love for me.” He may be chastening, pulling down emotional supports upon which I have rested, or ridding us of false loves. This is a painful process, but he works in us as a faithful Father, because he loves us (Heb. 13:5-12).

                Fourth, we must repent where we have made this life our heaven. Each of us has set up versions of heaven in this life. It might be good health, or a comfortable retirement, or a peaceful family. These are great blessings, to be sure, should the Lord determine they are good for us to have. What if he determines otherwise in my case, or in yours? What if he determines that headaches are in our best interest, for when our head hurts, we may be less inclined to a God-complex, or to gratify lusts, or to forget to pray without ceasing? In this life, we are strangers and pilgrims, on the way to God’s city (Phil. 3:20). We have not yet arrived. It will help dethrone discouragement if we expect the normal inconveniences of traveling. When we absolutely set our love and hope and happiness upon anything or person in this life, we are setting ourselves for deep discouragement.

                Fifth, we must set our affections upon Christ and our heavenly life to come. Many of our discouragements are related to ways others have failed us – spouses, parents, children, church members, friends. Perhaps we have placed a weight upon them they cannot bear. There is only one truest and best Friend, the Lord Jesus Christ. There is only one utterly faithful Friend, our “yesterday, today, and forever” Friend (Heb. 13:8). This is the reason that he directs us to set our affections and thoughts upon him (Col. 3:1-3). Do we love him? Do we desire him and life with him above all? If so, then our present discouragements can become useful road signs along our pilgrim way: “Go to your Friend. Endurance is the way to your Friend’s house.” It is hard to stay discouraged when we make Jesus Christ your Best Friend, trust him as our Exalted and Sovereign Friend, and obey him as our Crucified-for-Us Friend.