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Refuse To Be Discouraged.
Sponsored by CrisDental Family Dentistry
It is so easy in this day and age to wake with a heavy heart.
So much is going on that robs us of our peace and crushes any hope we might have.
I saw a meme online this morning that said “While the earth is planning for war, Heaven is planning a wedding.”
Discouragement is natural but also something we can fight.
When we are discouraged we are of no use to our fellow humans.
It starts by dragging us down.
Then we complain which turns into discontentment.
That ripens into rebellion and finally ruin.
Does God have a plan?
Yes.
Did it change because of whatever is bothering you or burdening your spirit?
No.
We must give ourselves NO liberty to doubt God…NONE.
Refuse to be discouraged.
Shun the spirit of sadness.
I do not pretend to be good at any of this but I still know it to be true.
The last few years I allowed discouragement to enter my soul and lost faith, trust and hope in my fellow man which eventually robbed me of my faith in God.
In this devotional I read it says “I like to cultivate the spirit of gladness. It puts my soul so in tune again, and keeps it in tune so that the enemy of our soul is afraid to touch us.”
Sadness discolors everything.
As a man who struggles with bouts of depression all of this is a challenge to me.
I’m not saying “oh just ignore it and it will go away.”
NOT AT ALL.
I learned years ago the triggers to my depression.
When I see them rising from the dark ugly place I warn myself and find a rock to hold onto so I don’t slip into despair.
I believe God gives us the power of happiness.
Sadness is just another easy way out for me.
I want to be a blessing to those around me not paralyzed in hopelessness.
Perhaps that drive is a good way to ward off the spirit of sadness?
I don’t pretend to have any answers.
I’m just another guy fumbling his way through this life.
But I do believe, through God’s guidance, we can, or at least I can, resist the temptation to be sad and instead be glad in my faith that God has a plan.
Does worry change things? No. But it does rob us of sleep, clear thinking and most definitely peace in our soul. Believing that God has the plan for us is comforting to me. I don’t need to question it. Ever. We can choose to be happy knowing that he’s got it under control or we can doubt and be miserable. I’m choosing happy.
It is a personal joy to me, to see how your faith has not only come to the surface, but it runs DEEP as well...and the way you have "evolved" (I really do hate that term) in bringing it to the forefront of your online blog is a great blessing. I look forward to it daily.
Just call me an old-time-religionist! 😘
So true my friend, so true. Thanks for the reminder, brother. - M