The Monster of Discouragement, Part 2: The Causes, Signs, Results, and Remedy
Posted: Thursday, January 19, 2012
by Mogama
http://www.mogama.info
Let's continue from where Part 1 of this article left off...
The Root Causes of Discouragement
Disappointment: When the Israelite spies went to check out Canaan they were not expecting to see any obstacles worthy of the label "giants" (Numbers 13:28-29). And when they did they felt intimidated by the sight of such huge Canaanite men. Then they were disappointed about their odds of military victory over those giants. Disappointment is the first step to discouragement. We are often disappointed because of expectations that were unfounded to begin with.
Unbelief : The goal of sending spies to survey Canaan was to help the Israelites better prepare for their battles with the residents of the land (Deut. 1:22-24). There is not much wrong with calling into the future before walking into it. But if you're going to spy on your future, please do so through lenses of faith. The spies' discouragement was rooted in their refusal to believe that, with God on their side, they were able to reach their God-ordained destination (Deut. 1:30-33). Unbelief is lack or loss of confidence. Unbelief is also the lack or loss of trust. It is the loss or lack of nerve to take action for positive change. Unbelief fuels discouragement.
Fear : The Almighty had poured into the Israelites everything they needed to possess the Promise Land, but fear drove them into discouragement (Deut. 1:20-21,29). While disappointment may be the first cause, f ear is really the leading cause of discouragement. The onset of discouragement is triggered by the fear of failing to accomplish the very mission you were made for. When discouraged, ask yourself, "What is it I'm afraid of?" Your fear factor is often your discouragement indicator.
Signs of Discouragement
A discouraged heart usually dangles nearby where the following signs are present.
Rebellion against authority or leadership (Deut. 1:26): A discouraged person often refuses to follow simple instructions. "What's the use?" he asks, knowing his fateful answer.
Constant complaining (Deut. 1:27): Discouraged people complain and murmur a lot, expressing a desire for something different but not interested in bringing it about. Complaining may take the form of wishing to be like others, who are perceived as better off, stronger, or happier.
Rumormongering (Deut. 1:27-28): The discouraged will soon infect others, engaging in negative talk, spreading bad report through the camp. Very soon the whole atmosphere is polluted. The team is demoralized, feeling hopelessly helpless.
Confusion (Deut. 1:41): He who is plagued with discouragement severs his mind from wisdom. With a confused mind the discouraged becomes unstable about what he really wants now. The person is difficult or even impossible to reason with, work with or live with.
The Results of Discouragement
Discouragement wrecks more organizations, operations, teams and relationships than misconduct, drugs, alcohol, abuse, or shortage of resources.
For the Israelites the outcome of discouragement was drastic. Discouragement split the Israelite community and caused the downfall of thousands. Their spiraling results of discouragement began with wandering (Deut. 1:40). Discouragement cuts a circular path to nowhere. Discouraged people get stuck in and numb to their merry-go-round lifestyle.
Lingering discouragement guarantees replacement of the discouraged (Deut. 1:39). Everyone of the discouraged bunch of Israelites would be replaced by another generation who had not contracted chronic discouragement. By default the long-term discouraged person hands over her bright future to another.
The chronically discouraged is soon greeted by spiritual darkness. T he discouraged Israelites forfeited God's presence (Deut. 1:42). For the believer, the greatest cost of discouragement is divine blackout.
That leads to practical defeat in the normal responsibilities of life. The Israelites were routed by the enemies, the problem, the challenge they had been groomed to overcome (Deut. 1:44).
On the heels of defeat follows self-pity , the poor-me syndrome, which only intensifies the agony of discouragement (Deut. 1:45). When alone, discouraged people often break down and weep, shedding tears of regret over lost opportunities.
Lingering discouragement will bump into the wall of stagnation , with a sign that reads DEAD END. For most of their four decades in the wilderness the Israelites made zero progress; they did more camping than moving (Deut. 1:46). They were delivered to become a movement, but discouragement turned them into a monument.
Overcoming Discouragement: The Cure
Discouragement is like your car having a flat tire during a trip. There is no need for the entire trip to end at the site of the flat tire. We change tires and continue our journey. What are the tools?
Focus : In Numbers chapter 13, we discover one of the most effective cures to discouragement. The remedy shows in Caleb and Joshua, two of the twelve spies that Moses sent to canvass the Promise Land. For Caleb and Joshua the key was focus (Numbers 14:6-9) . The two men never lost sight of Almighty God, who outsized the giants. With their focus on the Solution (God), these two warriors escaped the trap of magnifying the problem (the giants). Thus they never contracted the discouraged-heart disease.
Encouragement : The best way to dismantle discouragement is to activate encouragement. How? Speak a positive confession, which is a profession of faith, the antithesis of crippling fear. That's what Caleb and Joshua did, and it turned out to be for them the ultimate antidote to the poison of discouragement (Numbers 13:30; 14:6-9).
When you find yourself in the dark Pit of Discouragement, climb into the Encouragement Zone where the light of hope shines bright, dispelling the creepy monster of fear. Encourage yourself by self-talking. Then connect with people who trade stocks of encouragement and invest in a brighter outlook. These fellow "prisoners of hope" (Zechariah 9:12) may be a prayer group, a Bible study group, or a church where worship is a celebration, not a funeral. True worship will equip you with new tires to resume the journey into your Promise Land. ~mogama~
The Root Causes of Discouragement
Disappointment: When the Israelite spies went to check out Canaan they were not expecting to see any obstacles worthy of the label "giants" (Numbers 13:28-29). And when they did they felt intimidated by the sight of such huge Canaanite men. Then they were disappointed about their odds of military victory over those giants. Disappointment is the first step to discouragement. We are often disappointed because of expectations that were unfounded to begin with.
Fear : The Almighty had poured into the Israelites everything they needed to possess the Promise Land, but fear drove them into discouragement (Deut. 1:20-21,29). While disappointment may be the first cause, f ear is really the leading cause of discouragement. The onset of discouragement is triggered by the fear of failing to accomplish the very mission you were made for. When discouraged, ask yourself, "What is it I'm afraid of?" Your fear factor is often your discouragement indicator.
Signs of Discouragement
A discouraged heart usually dangles nearby where the following signs are present.
Rebellion against authority or leadership (Deut. 1:26): A discouraged person often refuses to follow simple instructions. "What's the use?" he asks, knowing his fateful answer.
Constant complaining (Deut. 1:27): Discouraged people complain and murmur a lot, expressing a desire for something different but not interested in bringing it about. Complaining may take the form of wishing to be like others, who are perceived as better off, stronger, or happier.
Rumormongering (Deut. 1:27-28): The discouraged will soon infect others, engaging in negative talk, spreading bad report through the camp. Very soon the whole atmosphere is polluted. The team is demoralized, feeling hopelessly helpless.
Confusion (Deut. 1:41): He who is plagued with discouragement severs his mind from wisdom. With a confused mind the discouraged becomes unstable about what he really wants now. The person is difficult or even impossible to reason with, work with or live with.
The Results of Discouragement
Discouragement wrecks more organizations, operations, teams and relationships than misconduct, drugs, alcohol, abuse, or shortage of resources.
For the Israelites the outcome of discouragement was drastic. Discouragement split the Israelite community and caused the downfall of thousands. Their spiraling results of discouragement began with wandering (Deut. 1:40). Discouragement cuts a circular path to nowhere. Discouraged people get stuck in and numb to their merry-go-round lifestyle.
Lingering discouragement guarantees replacement of the discouraged (Deut. 1:39). Everyone of the discouraged bunch of Israelites would be replaced by another generation who had not contracted chronic discouragement. By default the long-term discouraged person hands over her bright future to another.
The chronically discouraged is soon greeted by spiritual darkness. T he discouraged Israelites forfeited God's presence (Deut. 1:42). For the believer, the greatest cost of discouragement is divine blackout.
That leads to practical defeat in the normal responsibilities of life. The Israelites were routed by the enemies, the problem, the challenge they had been groomed to overcome (Deut. 1:44).
On the heels of defeat follows self-pity , the poor-me syndrome, which only intensifies the agony of discouragement (Deut. 1:45). When alone, discouraged people often break down and weep, shedding tears of regret over lost opportunities.
Lingering discouragement will bump into the wall of stagnation , with a sign that reads DEAD END. For most of their four decades in the wilderness the Israelites made zero progress; they did more camping than moving (Deut. 1:46). They were delivered to become a movement, but discouragement turned them into a monument.
Overcoming Discouragement: The Cure
Discouragement is like your car having a flat tire during a trip. There is no need for the entire trip to end at the site of the flat tire. We change tires and continue our journey. What are the tools?
Focus : In Numbers chapter 13, we discover one of the most effective cures to discouragement. The remedy shows in Caleb and Joshua, two of the twelve spies that Moses sent to canvass the Promise Land. For Caleb and Joshua the key was focus (Numbers 14:6-9) . The two men never lost sight of Almighty God, who outsized the giants. With their focus on the Solution (God), these two warriors escaped the trap of magnifying the problem (the giants). Thus they never contracted the discouraged-heart disease.
Encouragement : The best way to dismantle discouragement is to activate encouragement. How? Speak a positive confession, which is a profession of faith, the antithesis of crippling fear. That's what Caleb and Joshua did, and it turned out to be for them the ultimate antidote to the poison of discouragement (Numbers 13:30; 14:6-9).
When you find yourself in the dark Pit of Discouragement, climb into the Encouragement Zone where the light of hope shines bright, dispelling the creepy monster of fear. Encourage yourself by self-talking. Then connect with people who trade stocks of encouragement and invest in a brighter outlook. These fellow "prisoners of hope" (Zechariah 9:12) may be a prayer group, a Bible study group, or a church where worship is a celebration, not a funeral. True worship will equip you with new tires to resume the journey into your Promise Land. ~mogama~
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