Today I want to talk to you about something that can take away the joy and peace from your life. It's discouragement. Sometimes we can get discouraged and before we know what's happening, we have lost our joy; we don't have any zest for life. We seem to just want to get through from morning to evening. That affects our jobs, our family, our relationships. So this morning I want us to look at five causes for discouragement that I've taken from "The Awesome Power of Attitude: It Can Make You Or Break You" by Dale Galloway. See whether any of these five causes are sitting upon your heart if you are discouraged. Maybe if you know what causes discouragement, you'll be able to handle it better.
1. Fatigue: a lack of energy and motivation. Fatigue can be a normal and important response to physical exertion, emotional stress, boredom or lack of sleep. However, it can also be a non-specific sign of a more serious issue or problem – that's what we hear from MedlinePlus and the US National Library of Medicine. But what we need to realize is that very often, after a high, even a spiritual high, comes an emotional low. After you have done something that is gigantic or monumental or something that you've achieved, often it is accompanied by a low.
Benjamin Franklin says, "The antidote for fatigue is simple – rest. Fatigue is the best pillow."
Get a good night sleep, take a break, go away for a couple of days. Remember, the greater your responsibility, the more time you need for rest and renewal. Do the things that you want to do or enjoy. Every once in a while, do something for yourself – watch a movie, take a hike, read a book. I typically take Mondays off; that's my day of rest. I don't do anything on that day. In fact I switch off my phone. That's the day I spend with the family, I read, watch a movie (watched Runaway Movie yesterday) but do something for yourself, something that will allow you to take time out from what you have been doing 6 days a week and be able to focus on other things. Your mind needs time away from some of the things that continue to bombard us through the week and to enable it to be kept sharp and active. So take that time out when you get fatigued. Get a good night of rest or try and do something for yourself.
2. Fretting or Worry: Fretting causes us to strangle our positive energy. In fact, the etymology of the word 'worry' means to strangle or to choke. Worry is a futile thing. It's something like a rocking chair – although it keeps you occupied, it doesn't get you anywhere. Maybe you are worrying today because people around you are harassing you or are jealous of you and want to pull you down.
But I want to remind you of a verse in the Bible: Psalm 37 – "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes." It's a very practical way of taking care of worry – take it to God. How do you do that? Cup your hands together and very consciously place all the things that are worrying you or causing you to fret into your hands and then lift it up to God and leave it with Him.
Somebody said, "Worry doesn't help tomorrow's troubles but it does ruin today's happiness." The Bible again says, "Commit your way to the Lord. Trust in Him and He will do this." He will accomplish the things that you need to accomplish.
3. Frustration: Things that seem unsolvable, that don't seem to have ready answers cause frustration. When we can't accomplish what we are doing and face road blocks in every direction, frustration arises. Many people are discouraged because of frustration. But you need to deal with frustration, because while it leads to discouragement, it can also cause anger. And all that is necessary to break the spell of inertia and frustration is this: Act as if it were impossible to fail. That is the talisman, the command, the right about face, which turns us from failure to success.
I read an article, which said that there are 8 ways to avoid frustration or overcome frustration.
· Ask yourself "What is working in my situation?" Find some of the things that you are doing right and then see how you can improve it.
· Keep an accomplishment log and you maybe surprised by how much you have done, that you have been doing much more than you thought you have been doing. Or you will find that you have been procrastinating, not doing what you need to do and so you can rectify it.
· Focus on what you want to happen. Go back to the big picture. What is the desired outcome? See whether you've got so wrapped up in trying to solve one problem that you've forgotten the main thing that you were seeking to do.
· Remove the noise and all the other things that clutter your mind. Begin to focus on the things that you need to do. Go back to the basics. Determine what is really necessary and remove everything else. Anything that takes your time and effort, that isn't adding value, should be eliminated.
· Look at multiple solutions. You always have options. So brainstorm, figure out at least 8 possible options to what you are doing. Then when you look at those options, you won't feel like you're trapped in one negative situation.
· Take action. When you get into serious frustration with a problem, sometimes we tend to not want to work on it any more. It's hard, it's frustrating. You're not getting anywhere. So anything to avoid being in that situation may be far more attractive. Procrastination may then set in. do something about it. Keep taking steps forward. You'll probably make it past this temporary hump. Thomas Edison once said, "Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." Surprises and reverses can serve as an incentive for great accomplishment.
· Visualize a positive outcome to the situation. A lot of times you can get stuck on focusing on what you don't want to happen or fearing the absolute worst that could happen. Top athletes of the world always imagine themselves competing flawlessly over and over again and winning.
· Stay positive. Things are usually not as bad as they first appear. Look for the silver lining in the dark clouds that may sometimes surround you. Taking a break helps and remember to keep yourself in humor.
4. Fear: Today many people are being discouraged by their fears. My wife is a clinical psychologist who works with a hospital and also with an agency that helps rescue young girls from prostitution. She deals mainly with trauma-related cases in these situations. She says that many of the people who come to see her have fear as the base of their troubles – fear of going broke, of disasters, of diseases, failure and interestingly, fear of success as well. Edison says, "Stand up to the one thing you fear the most and the death of fear is certain." The Bible says, "Fear not; for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name. You're mine," says God. This is the promise. He says, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. When you pass through the rivers, remember they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned. The flames will not set you ablaze for I am The Lord, Your God." What a wonderful promise! When we feel like we are overwhelmed, God is saying that those things will not overwhelm you because He is with us, He walks with us.
5. Failure: A young man walked away from his job feeling a failure and he said, "It was the most discouraging moment of my life." Friends, just because you have failed at something doesn't mean that you are a failure. The old adage says, "Failure is a stepping stone to success." No one is a failure until he/she quits or gives up. Ray Cotton, a pastor from Wichita, Kansas says, "It's not who you are but who you can be. It's not where you've been but where you're going. It's not what you have lost in life that matters; it's what with what you have.
So, five areas that can cause us discouragement and maybe rob us of the joy of life. I want to close by reading this psalm to you. It comes from the Bible – Psalm 42:5. The psalmist who wrote this is talking to himself and he says, "Why are you cast down, O my inner soul? Why should you moan over me and be disquieted? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God."
He speaks to the inner situation that he is going through. He is discouraged. Then he reminds himself that we can still wait for God to come through.
So I want you to remember that today, God is with you. He is just a prayer away. In whatever situation you are facing today – discouragement, fatigue, worry, fretting, frustrated with the things around you that are not going your way, fear of what will happen if this present situation continues or failure that is causing you to be discouraged. I want to encourage you today. Don't look at your present situation and your own resources. Look to the Lord and allow Him to come along side of you, lift discouragement from you and be able to set you on the road of success.
Allow me to pray with you. If you are discouraged, let this prayer be for you. Say the word 'Amen' at the end, which means 'So be it!'
Heavenly Father, Almighty God. I pray for each one of these men and women on this call. Lord, You know their situations because You are All-knowing. You know everything. You are God. You know whether they are discouraged or not. You also know why discouragement may have set in. heavenly Father, I ask that even now, you would just reach out and touch each one, wherever they are, that you would lift them up, You would let them know that even though they pass through uncertain times, stormy weather, rough times, You are with them and You will not let them get burnt. You will not let the waters overwhelm them. You will hold their hand and lead them through. I pray that You would encourage each one, that there would be many reminders today of how much You care for them and love them and would lead and guide them and give them wisdom. Be their encourager today. Take away discouragement. Let the sun shine into their lives. Bless them, Almighty God, in Your name and with Your authority. It's in the name of Jesus that we pray. Amen.
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