Are You Discouraged?

 Are You Discouraged?

November 26, 2024

Things don’t always go our way and we can get discouraged. An extreme example of this is found in the life of David.

1 Samuel 30:6 

David’s Victory over the Amalekites

6Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.

In this story, the Amalekites had attacked David’s camp, burned everything and carried off all of their women and children. The people were so upset by this that they threatened to stone David. However, he was able to strengthen and encourage himself and and lead his men on a counter attack which recovered their families and possessions. How did he encourage himself? It doesn’t say here, but there is a clue in Psalms 42 and 43.

Psalms 42:11

11 Why are you in despair, O my soul?

Andwhy have you become disturbed within me?

Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him,

The help of my countenance and my God.

Psalms 43:4-5

4 Then I will go to the altar of God,

To God my exceeding joy;

And upon the lyre I shall praise You, O God, my God.

5 Why are you in despair, O my soul?

And why are you disturbed within me?

Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him,

The help of my countenance and my God.

In these Psalms, the psalmist, presumably King David, speaks to his own soul, which is in despair.He tells himself to hope in God and praise HIm. He also used a lyre to praise the Lord and this encouraged himself. Through this praise, the Lord helped his raise his countenance. 

I can relate to this even though I don’t have a lyre, but I do have a guitar and a piano. Playing praise and worship music can help me encourage myself when I am down. If your don’t play an instrument yourself, you can always play Christian radio or a YouTube video to help get into an attitude of praise.

In the New Testament, we find that fellowship is a key part of encouragement.

1 Thessalonians 5:14

14 We urgeyou, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.

1 Thessalonians 5:11

11 Thereforeencourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.

Hebrews 3:13a

13 But encourage oneanother day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,”…

In the fellowship of believers, it is our responsibility to encourage one another. When one of us is faint hearted, those who are stronger in the Lord are instructed to encourage them. In Hebrews we are admonished to encourage one another daily, “as long as it is still called ‘today’”. The last time I checked, today was still called “today”, so we need to encourage one another today! 

I’m not sure the church is always very good at this. In our church service, we always offer the chance for someone to pray for you, but what if you are so discouraged that you don’t want to come to church? Does anyone call them to see what is the matter? Sometimes this happens, but too often, we just say, “So and so didn’t come to church, but oh well, they must have had something better to do.” I’m talking to myself here, as I’m not always aware of the need to call someone who stops coming to church. As they say, “To have a friend, you must be a friend.” Likewise, I think it is also true, “To be encouraged, you need to be an encourager.” Encouraging someone else will take your mind off of your own troubles and you will end up also encouraging yourself.

So, “Why so downcast, O my soul…”? There is hope in God and you can tap into that by praising the Lord and encouraging a brother. This week is Thanksgiving, so giving thanks is also a way to encourage yourself.

Psalms 42:11

11 Why are you in despair, O my soul?

And why have you become disturbed within me?

Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him,

The help of my countenance and my God.