DEALING WITH DISCOURAGEMENT
By Dr. Kay Kuzma
Author, Radio Broadcaster, Counselor
Are there days when you feel discouraged? Nothing goes right? Your financial situation is bad, your spouse is depressed, and your kids have too much homework?
No matter who you are, what work you do , or whom you know, there are times when you get discouraged. I know, because I get discouraged; and I believe that no matter how difficult life is, there is always a solution. Discouragement happens to everyone.
Last night I went to bed feeling discouraged, and I woke up still feeling discouraged--all because of a computer! You laugh. I pride myself on being able to control my environment (what's around me). Now I had met something I could not control and was feeling frustrated. Why wouldn't the computer work? The computer was supposed to save me time. But instead the computer was using all my time. In the evening, when I should have been with my family, I was trying to learn to make the computer work. I read the computer manual and pushed button after button, hoping that I might find the right combination that would make the printer work. I just wanted the printer to print my materials.
This morning when I woke up, still discouraged, I decided that the Lord must be trying to tell me something from this experience. So I opened the Bible and thought that God would lead me to Psalm 27:14 "Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thin heart: wait, I say on the Lord."
But that did not seem to be the message I needed today. "Lord," I prayed, "I cannot wait."
I decided to continue my search. I read Matthew 11:28-30 "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ... for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Wonderful advice. The computer was much too heavy a burden, so I decided, right then and there, to give the computer to the Lord--all $ 2000 worth of the computer! After all, the computer was purchased for God's ministry. And I would rather have the peace and rest that God offers than the computer!
My burden was beginning to feel lighter. But I felt that God must have more for me. At last I read Psalm 70. That was the solution I was searching for: "Make haste [hurry], O God, to deliver me, make haste [hurry], O God, to deliver me, make haste [hurry] to help me, O Lord." Those were exactly the words I needed.
I do not know where you are today, what you are doing, or what burdens and frustrations you may have. But if you feel discouraged, search for an aster in God's book, the Bible.
If you are not sure what to read, pick up a pencil and write a few of my favorite verses.
Start with John 14:1-4*. We have so much to look forward to. Let's keep our hope!
Joshua 1:9* or James 2:12* may be what you need to read.
Philippians 4:12-13* has another message of hope; other messages of hope are Proverbs 16:20* and Job 11:16-19*. If you need help quickly, try the prayer of Psalm 70: "Make haste [hurry] to help me, O Lord."
And perhaps when the Lord knows how desperate you are, He will tell a group of angels to work overtime to help you.
I feel better already. I hope you feel better, too.
DR. KUZMA'S BIBLICAL "RX" FOR DISCOURAGEMENT
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