Two times Paul mentioned that ‘we do not loose heart,’ verse 1 and 16. These two occurrences of the same phrase basically bracket the entire chapter, which suggests that potential discouragement abounded for Paul. To ward off discouragement, Paul:
· Focused on God’s mercy (1)
· Renounced evil and continued to dispense God’s calling in his life (2)
· Got up whenever he was knocked down (7-12), and continually
· Believed God and the resurrection of Jesus (13)
I moved from Paul to my life, contemplating what I do to ward off discouragement…
What do you do? Processing your discouragement is key. Discouragement will surface from time to time, but how we deal with it and how we combat it will make the difference.
Spend a few moments before moving on. How do you deal with and combat discouragement?
Paul has his plan, and if you don’t have a plan or your plan doesn’t seem to be working, then I invite you to try Paul’s plan.
O, God, when discouragement comes, help me to face it and to ward it off by trusting in You and Your plan. Help me, Lord, to trust You with my life and to trust that You have a plan and purpose for everything.
I love You, Lord, and I am so thankful for Your Word and its practical application in my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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