Finding Strength in Faith: Overcoming Discouragement
Have you ever felt your faith wavering, as if you were in a spiritual desert, looking up for guidance and strength? This experience is not uncommon among believers. The Bible provides us with numerous accounts where God's people faced trials, and through these, we learn how to encourage ourselves in the Lord.
Facing Trials Like David
Consider David before he became king. Fleeing from King Saul, he made a grave decision to seek refuge in the land of the Philistines, thinking it would provide him safety:
"And David said in his heart, 'Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape to the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me anymore in any part of Israel. So I shall escape out of his hand.' Then David arose and went over with the six hundred men who were with him to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath" (1 Samuel 27:1).
This decision, although seemingly logical, led him into a season of despair when he returned to find Ziklag, his temporary home, destroyed and his family taken captive:
"Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God" (1 Samuel 30:6).
Encouraging Ourselves in the Lord
Here are three biblical principles to help us find encouragement in the Lord:
Proper Faith
David's faith was under attack. He initially trusted in his own plan rather than in God. True encouragement comes from faith in Christ's finished work:
"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).
Our faith must rest in Christ's redemption, which includes our justification, sanctification, and future glorification.
Proper Sight
In times of darkness, we must see beyond what is visible:
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).
This eternal perspective helps us focus on God's sustaining peace, fortifying power, abundant grace, and unfailing mercy.
Proper Praise
Praise in times of trouble invites God's presence:
"Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance" (Psalm 42:5).
Praise not only brings God's comfort but also confounds the enemy:
"Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated" (2 Chronicles 20:22).
Encouraging ourselves in the Lord is a deliberate choice. By focusing on Christ's work, maintaining an eternal perspective, and offering praise, we open ourselves to the Comforter's work within us. Let us rise up, choosing to find strength and encouragement in our faith, sight, and praise.