GRACE ANCHORED JOURNEY

All of us face discouragement at some point in life. Others may feel and experience it every day and a few may not. But along the way, we encounter it. We hit rock bottom with various reasons.

As a woman of this generation, I joined the trend of living independently (for such a long time). So, I had a hard time learning how to share my burdens and discouragements with my family (even with my friends). It is not that they don’t want to help, nor they don’t love me, but it is more of my pride. I don’t want them to be sad nor worry about me. I just hate the fact that people become burdened on something because of me. I have always believed in myself. When the low points of life hit me, I accepts it. As some may say, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. I have always been a fighter and strong by nature. I don’t easily give up.

But this season in my life turns the other way around. A few weeks ago, I shared how my life took a detour because of my health condition. Discouragements just suddenly come in. There are moments when the thoughts of my pain and struggles succumbing to fears, anxieties, and tears. When I realized that these are already part of my everyday life, and there is nothing I could do about my situation, I asked the Lord to turn this into something meaningful. Instead of fighting against it, I have learned to accept it. And there, I found my peace. Those lowly moments were just visible to the Lord.

Because in His presence is where I find my healing and courage to keep on pressing forward. And, that’s where the Lord always meet me. 

I have always admired David’s character in the bible and how he was so closed with the Lord being with so much pain, trials, and struggles. I specifically like the story where he was greatly distressed because of his enemies and his family and people were held captive (1 Samuel 30). He was in a very discouraging and hopeless situation. He did not have the strength to fight, but he instead found encouragement in the Lord (v6). His first defense was to come to the Lord and commune with Him. Then, his heart was calmed, though his situation did not get any better.

We might probably read most of his songs in Psalms. I believed that those moments that he was in dark moments, he was able to make poems and songs and even sang them before the Lord. During those darkest moments that he learned to pour his heart out to God for consolation.

We, too can be like David. We can trade these discouragements with joy if we keep our eyes focus and our hearts close to Him. Despite a weary heart, we can sing songs to Him and He is always there to listen and make us rise above our situation.

At times when we feel that nothing seems good along our way, encouraging ourselves in the Lord will bring back our joy amidst the chaos. When we focus on what we are surrounded of, we lose our sight. We find our hearts faint and discouraged. Satan is always on guard to stealing our joy, but God can always restore it. His joy is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

It is not an easy thing to find encouragement in the Lord. It always involves the right decision to do so. Our emotions sometimes get too strong, that’s why we need to pull ourselves out of that current. Once we are able to cross against it, then we would find ourselves enjoying the result of this conscious decision to encourage ourselves in Him.

How then, can we develop the attitude of finding encouragement in Him?

Read the Bible and meditate on it.

When thoughts of discouragement are lingering around, I look at the scriptures to block all those negatives. And, the Word of God never fails to lift me up during those down moments. The Word of God does not only encourage us when we are discouraged, but it can help us with whatever situation we may be facing at the moment.

Are you troubled because of sickness? Soak yourself in the life of Job (Job), the bleeding woman (Luke 8), and King Hezekiah (Isaiah 38). These stories are just amazing to me and the times when I feel so hopeless with my condition, I read them over and over again.

Are you struggling with unforgiveness? Why not take Joseph’s life as an example of how we can forgive those who hurt and offend us. It just blows me away whenever I read his story in Genesis. His misfortunes are the key to his greatness.

Are you in so much trouble, trials, and persecution? Read James and learn from what he has to say,

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

There are a lot of stories and characters that we can run to in whatever we are experiencing to point us to the right perspective in life.

Listen to uplifting songs and preaching.

Ever since I was a kid, music has been part of my life. Before I became a Christian, I had a compilation of all the wordily songs that I liked. Whenever I needed to calm myself, I listened to them. When I became a Christian, I traded all of those to music that glorifies the Lord. And, it helps a lot during meditation or just simply singing songs to the Lord. Singing can ease and heal our broken hearts.

In like manner, listening to biblical preaching (s) can help us so much whenever we need to lose focus on ourselves and divert our attention into something worthwhile.

Read devotionals and good read books.

Reading good devotional and good read books is something that we can develop as Christians. This is not to replace our bible reading and meditation, but a supplement that can help us learn and grow more by reading other people’s encouraging stories of faith, hope, love, and obedience. Please make sure to read your bible first before any book, though.

I once read a story of a woman who committed to read her bible first before anything else. And, by the grace of God, I am learning to adapt that commitment. No bible reading, no “other book” reading.

Encourage others.

I know how hard it is to encourage others when you yourself needs encouragement. But I have learned this secret of encouraging others whenever I am feeling discouraged. It is like a therapy to the soul that brings healing. By doing this, we would be able to know that our situation is not unique and exclusive. There are even others who need help more than us. The more we focus on others, the more we lose sight of our own trials and struggles. Then, the more we see that the world does not just revolve around us.

Recently, I experienced how to be encouraged by someone who is suffering the same way as I am. And, her gentle words and wisdom brought healing to my heart. The Lord used this woman to let me bounced back from that pit of self-pity and faithlessness. Thanks to this woman whose heart is tied to the Lord regardless of her own misery and pain.

May we learn to be an encouragement to others regardless of what we are going through. The Lord knows it, anyway.

As I ponder on my own discouragements now, I ask myself, “Is there any meaning out if it?” Definitely yes.  Without those fears, anxieties, and pain I would never learn to call on the Lord more often that what I used to be. These things bring me on my knees to really cling onto God’s comfort, peace, and deliverance. Without Him, I could not tell you where I am now. I might have gone crazy. Seriously.

Do you feel the same way? I encourage you to build your life around the One who is able to bring beauty out of chaos.