Discourage Your Discouragement

In my latest post, Silence The Fear, I discussed how to overcome our greatest fears by looking instead to Jesus, our only great Hope. I’d like to expand on that idea this week by identifying a specific root-cause of most fear.

This major behavior that usually feeds the fears we all face is listening closely to and believing the voice of discouragement. And I find that the source of discouragement’s voice is more often than not some form of comparison. Among other things, you can compare yourself to people, compare your circumstances, and compare lifestyles. Each of these comparisons will only leave you discouraged, eventually filling you with fear. Comparison, discouragement, and fear are basically a crime syndicate of joy thieves working to steal our confidence!

I think to these words penned in Psalm 42, verse 11: “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.” Why does my soul get cast down? Because I feel discouraged. Why am I disquieted by these discouragements? Because I am drawn to comparing myself to others. And the comparison game is not one to be won.

I could give you a list of who and what I compare myself to, but it would do us no good. It could only lead me down the path of discouragement that was never meant for me. And it could only tempt you to make your own comparisons too. So that’s not what we’ll do. We’ll instead turn our gaze to a better place. Set our eyes on the one who says we’re enough!

Look to the Father, the Spirit, the Son! See the Godhead three in one! He is our Hope. He is our Help. He is Home. He is our God. Hope in your God; give Him your praise! He loves you as you are and only wants a heart change. The calming of your soul exists in this phrase. So be who you are, but be renewed where you must. We can all be content, for He made each of us.

Take joy in your uniqueness today and all fear will run away. Discourage your discouragement by knowing for whom you were made. Kill your comparisons by giving thanks for your existence in grace.

“Comparison is the thief of joy.” – Theodore Roosevelt

“But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head.” – Psalm ‭3:3‬

“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.” – Psalm 139:14‬