ENCOURAGE YOURSELF IN THE LORD YOUR GOD



When I get discouraged, there's a Bible verse that I come back to again and again. It's found in the book of First Samuel. I learned it in the King James Version — And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. (1 Samuel 30:6)

Did you get that? Everyone was out to get him and he was greatly distressed —... but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. There have been many times in my life when I've realized — and I've been just as discouraged as anyone that I know — that for me to get better and for my situation to get better, I must encourage myself in the Lord my God.

When you get discouraged you often begin telling yourself: This is the worst thing that could possibly happen. This is the end. I'm such a failure. God is finished with me. Nothing ever works out. In talking this way you continue to perpetuate the discouragement. It is in these moments that what you say to yourself does matter the most. There will be times in your life when you'll realize that for you to get better and for your situation to get better, you must encourage yourself in the Lord your God.

When you get to the point where there is only you, and you're all alone, that's a scary situation. But when you get to the point to where there is only you, and you know that God is with you, then you have all you need. Realize this you and God are a majority. It’s true.

When you read the Bible it serves as a reminder that God is faithful to his people and his people have a habit of falling off the wagon and wander away from him and give up. But because of God’s faithfulness he brings the wandering children back home cleans them up and gives them a second chance.

If you're like me, your natural tendency is not to look back on all the good things God has done, but on all the idiotic things you have done. And if you're like me, the more you think about these things, the more discouraged you get. That's why you have to intentionally remind yourself of what God has done for you. You have to intentionally encourage yourself in the Lord your God. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.  (Philippians 4:8)

God's not finished with you. No matter how it looks at this moment, God's not finished. No matter how many times you have fallen down, God's not finished. No matter how disappointed in yourself you may be, God's not finished. No matter how fleeting success may seem, God's not finished. When discouragement surrounds you like a gang of thugs, remind yourself that this is just a step in a journey, this is just a bump in the road, this is not the end that God has planned for you. The key is to get in God's presence, get into his Word, listen to what God is saying to you, remind yourself again and again of what God is saying to you and strength and encouragement will come your way.

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