Discouragement . . . such a common emotion . . . how can we overcome it? How can we get beyond discouragement, and even learn from it? Boy... I can preach on this for days without stopping because I've been there so many times. Even as I'm blogging now I'm moving through it. Get it-through it not staying in it. Some of you on the fast my be feeling this as well but listen and read closely. If I never teach you anything else please take this to heart. You may not have faced somethings just like my experiences, but I expect you have felt the heavy weight of discouragement. Maybe it came at work, as a project for which you had high hopes fell apart. Perhaps it had to do with a close relationship that splintered owing to a misunderstanding. Or your discouragement might have resulted from frustration with your inability to be the kind of person you know God wants you to be.First of all, if you want to overcome discouragement, allow yourself to feel discouraged. No, I don't recommend that you rev up negative feelings that aren't there. But if you are truly discouraged, don't pretend otherwise. Trust God enough to feel what you really feel. Some Christians think that discouragement itself is something about which to be ashamed, almost as if it were a sin. One of my favorite hymns, "What a Friend We Have in Jesus," urges: "Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer." Perhaps in an ideal world we should never be discouraged. But in reality, discouragement is a normal part of human life. The Psalmist asked for God's help with despair (see Psalms 42-43). The Apostle Paul admitted his own deep discouragement (2 Cor. 1:8-9). If we deny our discouragement and pretend we're "just fine," we won't be able to overcome it. Knowing the source of your discouragement is essential to overcoming it. Maybe you were unrealistic in your hopes and need to learn to be more astute in your judgment. Maybe people you trusted let you down. Or maybe your discouragement is more generalized, a sign of burnout or broad dissatisfaction with your life. Discouragement could reflect underlying depression that is itself the symptom of deeper emotional discord. If you can accurately identify the cause of your discouragement, you'll be on the road to alleviating it. If you're discouraged, don't keep it to yourself. Don't let pride or shame prevent you from sharing honestly with people who will listen emphatically and respond wisely. Your gutsy openness will bring relief for you and freedom to others. Here's where I agree completely with "What a Friend We Have in Jesus." If you feel discouraged, "take it to the Lord in prayer." We can tell him everything, including the fact that we're discouraged. When we do, we begin to experience God's gracious peace. When we share our discouragement with the Lord, we are open to discovering his presence in the midst of our unhappiness. Perhaps God is wanting to teach us something essential through our discouragement. Maybe he is redirecting our energies, our work, or our lives. When we take our discouragement to the Lord in prayer, we find that our hope is redirected and rekindled. With the Psalmist, we confess, "And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you" (Psalm 39:7). This doesn't mean we never trust others or expect their help. But it does remind us that God alone is fully trustworthy and that his help is both necessary and utterly reliable. The more we hope in God, focusing on his trustworthiness, the more we will find our discouragement melting away, replaced by confidence in God. Thus we not only overcome discouragement, but also it becomes an avenue to spiritual growth.Don't let discouragement kill your dream, desire, decision and destiny. Your assignment will require your total focus. I feel soooooo much better knowing that Jesus, Paul, Daniel and David encouraged themselves. My advice to you as a prophetic physician is trust in the Lord only he never disappoints but anoints. For me to live is Christ, to die is gain. Fasting eliminates discouragement if you continue..........in the faith. I'm starting my fast all over again for 21 days of No Discouragement. What are your thoughts??????? Peace.I Love you all no matter what.