By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills
A recent podcast/sermon by a renowned pastor hit me right where I needed—the heart. I hear what you’re saying: all sermons are supposed to affect the heart. But this one addressed my current situation.
I’d been experiencing discouragement, and the biggest problem is my perfectionism. God touched me, filling me with His hope and a reminder that He will never leave or forsake us. Our identity in Christ is not based on what we do or how much we have or who we know. Our identity is based on His unconditional love. That perfect love and wisdom, my friend, overcome the beast of discouragement.
The pastor had solid points, and I’ll paraphrase them below. I chose to apply them to my life, and I encourage you to do the same.
Three ways to defeat discouragement:
1. Don’t feed it. Otherwise, that keeps the beast alive and prowling after us. Instead, starve the monster.
2. Don’t practice it. Bad habits are hard to break. When we repeat the lies and play the self-destruction audios, we learn to believe the worst about ourselves.
3. Don’t scatter it. Be selective in sharing your problem. When we share our woes with everyone, we soon become known as needy and pathetic.
Three ways to overcome discouragement:
1. Refocus on God’s purpose for our lives. Pray and study what the Bible says about who we are in His eyes. He loves us so much that He carries pictures of us in His wallet!
2. Retell our story in a way that displays God’s glory. Give attention to our salvation and what He has done for us.
3. Rejoice when we face trials and challenges. All things for the believer lead to spiritual growth and God’s glory. Learn to laugh at the world and look for God’s hand in all our experiences. We are Gods handiwork.
These simple truths have helped me smile and continue in the ministry that God has given me. Take a moment to reflect on your life. What has God done for you? Be thankful!
