We all have felt discouraged at one point of another. Trust me anyone that says they’ve never been discouraged, is lying and run from them. The problem is many people stay in a discouraged mindset for so long, it becomes normal. Are you discouraged? Do you even know what discouragement really is? Discouragement is defined as a loss of confidence or enthusiasm. It has also been defined as having a loss of trust. Regardless how you choose to define it, if you’ve ever been discouraged about anything, you know it is a lonely and sad place.
2 Corinthians 5:7 says we live by faith not by sight.
When you find yourself discouraged, take a moment and be honest. What are you looking at? What are you focusing on? Have you taken your eyes off the promise? Have you taken your eyes off of what you know and started looking at what you see? You can’t have faith and be discouraged at the same time! Oops! Sorry to disappoint you. You must choose, which one will it be? 
Understand this, the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. I’ve said in a previous blog; he could care less what you have. He likes for you to have stuff. But if he can get you to stop trusting in God, kill your dreams, and destroy your hope, he feels he has succeeded. If he can put distractions in place that will cause you to doubt everything God has told you about you, he feels he has succeeded. And if he can use all your stuff to accomplish it, all the better. Sadly, if you fall for his distractions, he will succeed.
When you are distracted it takes your eyes off of God and places them on your problem or circumstance. You begin to focus on what you see instead of what you know. You begin to look with your physical eye instead of your spiritual eye.
When we look with our physical eye we begin to lean to our own understanding. We begin focusing on things that don’t matter instead of focusing on God and the greatness that He has created inside of us and for us.
Trust me I know what it feels like to be discouraged. To feel as if nothing matters. To feel like nothing you do is enough. To just be ready to give up and give in. But giving up is not an option! That’s exactly what the enemy wants you to do. If he can get you to give up, you will never be able to benefit from the blessings of God. You will never be able to walk in His promises. You will never reap the harvest prepared for you.
When you feel yourself becoming discouraged, STOP right where you are and ask “where is my focus? Am I looking with my physical eye or my spiritual eye? Am I leaning on my own understanding or am I trusting God?” One of my favorite promises in the Bible is ‘God will never leave nor forsake me’. And surely if He made that promise for me, He made if for you. But you have to trust Him and follow the process He has you on. Make a decision discouraged or faithful?
Where you are right now is only temporary unless you make it a permanent home.
Until Next Time,
