Are you? I try not to be but let’s face it – we all do at various times and in various areas of our lives. For me, discouragement typically takes hold when I think I have explored all the myriad options related to something that is important to me. You? However, the issue is what do we do next? There are a variety of behaviors we can indulge in, even though they are typically totally ineffective: sulking, blaming (others, of course), giving up (or in), keep hitting our head against the thickly closed, locked, and impregnable door. There are other things we do too, know yours?
I don’t believe there is a greater crippler than discouragement. This does even greater damage than failure. At least with the latter, (fill in the blank) has come to an end… it’s finally over. Not so with the former. It confirms to you all the negative parts of you. Your ‘can’t’ has to be the biggest one. It saps all your attention, strength, and energy. Eventually… we do stop all the negative behavior and look at where we are, what the problem is, and what’s available to us for resolution.
Analyzing what went wrong needs to be part of the mindset of extraction so we don’t repeat, but it really shouldn’t be the first thought. First we need to eliminate ‘blame’ from the equation and focus on what needs to be done. Part of the process, for me, is asking the Lord for His help and wisdom in this current situation. Finding the right method is critically important, and it may be different from the last time you needed to move beyond discouragement. Or… is it?
Do we see similarities in the issues/problems that got is to this point from previous situations and how we resolved them? Do we look at ourselves and our behaviors and assumptions? There is resolution but repeating previous ineffective words, actions, thoughts need to be eliminated. Do we have the luxury of time to consider the answers to all these questions (and others)? Perhaps not, but wasting time on ineffective actions is not proactive either.
What to do?! Our own thoughts need to be brought into line. Discouragement is a pervasive feeling that has to be countered. Everyone needs to know their approach in these times. For me, I go to my source – the Lord and seek His wisdom in His word. The more that you lean on the Word, the more the Word will be in you. Can the lessons and understandings really ‘work’, really help us to answers in our world? They do for me.
