Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? (Psalm 42:5a)

Where does discouragement come from? Why are we in such despair at times? I personally believe there is a process we go through to get us to the point of giving up, and I believe that there is an answer to our discouragement that David gives.

It all starts with a "vision" (call it a "dream" or "idea" or "ideal" or whatever). It can be in one of many different areas of life...relationships, finances, a church, building a house, building a church, building a marriage, building a friendship, building a financial future, building a plan for ministry, etc. We all have these in our lives. We start with an idea of what we want to happen in the future with someone or something.

Soon something goes wrong, not always, but sometimes. The ducks we lined up get knocked down, and what gets really frustrating is when it is out of our control. We've done everything to line up the right people, or programs, or materials, but plans don't pan our the way we envisioned them. This leaves us feeling frustrated, disappointed and discouraged.

Here comes the critical point in our decision making...are we going to quit? Right now we see no way out but to throw in the towel and say, "I'm done!" Or, are we going to move on and see what God wants to teach us and do through us in this situation?

This is the point at which we often feel depressed and can't see a way out of the black hole in which we find ourselves. How many times have we just made it through the day and gone through the motions to collapse at the end of the day thankful at least one more day is gone and we have one less day with which to cope?

We must make a choice: quit or refocus. If we chose to quit then it's over, but if we chose to refocus then it's a new beginning. David also wrote,

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. (Psalm 42:5b)

If our hope is truly in God, then there is a chance we can make it through times of despair.

Grace & Peace,

Scott