God Is Bigger Than Your Problem
“Where can we go up? Our brethren have discouraged our hearts, saying, “The people are greater and taller than we; the cities are great and fortified up to heaven; moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakim there.” Deuteronomy 1:28, NKJV
The definition of discourage is: “to deprive of courage, hope, or confidence; to dishearten another with negative or unkind words.”
The definition of discouraged is: “lacking in hope, confidence, and a positive outlook on the future.”
Most of us are well acquainted with the word discouraged, for we have been discouraged at one time or another. We have probably dealt with discouragement more than a few times in our life.
We can become discouraged over events in our lives and we can also become discouraged with people in our lives.
Our scripture for today reminds us of the story in the Old Testament when the Hebrew’s were attempting to cross over into the Promised Land. They were discouraged in doing so by their own brothers who told them of all the obstacles that had seen in the Promised Land.
The entire story would tell us that because of those discouraging words, they refused to cross over into the Promised Land, and because of their lack of faith, they wandered in the wilderness for the next 40 years.
Discouragement can be a horrible weight that prevents us from knowing the joy and peace that intended for us to know regardless of the situation we might be in.
I continue to say, “It’s very important what we focus on in the situation.” If we focus on the negative, we will react in a negative way. If we focus on the positive, we will react in a positive way. It’s up to us. We have that choice about every situation that comes into our lives.
Be encouraged today knowing that you can break free from the discouragement that you might be in today by changing your focus. Don’t focus on anything negative. Focus only on the positive things in your life.
It may not change the situation but I am sure that it will change you.
Riley Pippen