“I’ve Had ENOUGH!! I Quit!” Overcoming Discouragement

• Worn Out
• Tired
• Rejected
• Fear

…Sound familiar? We have all been there. But even though this is a common feeling, when you are in its grasp, it can be a very powerful, destructive emotion to battle with. I’d like to offer my thoughts in dealing with this concept, yet perhaps from a different approach.

First off… No one’s life goes as planned.  Read that once again….  No one’s life goes as planned…  Now this time, read it and believe it… No one’s life goes as planned.

When we are young, we have our entire life planned out. Go to school.. Marry the perfect companion… Have beautiful children who will respond with my upbringing request as the Brady Bunch kids did with their parents…Have the perfect job… Experience no financial stress… Enjoy good health… Then die with my spouse on the same night in our sleep.  You’re smiling, but be honest… aren’t these close to your expectations?

We have to begin by looking at our expectations of life. There are so many factors that we had not planned on when we initially set those expectations. “Life Gets In The Way!” People get sick; Family members have their own free agency going against what choices might make perfect sense to you; And there is this……………………….

The very reason that we have been placed on this planet……….. GROWTH!  Don’t tune me out on this one… I would guess that most of your frustrations have come because of the pounding challenges that you are faced with… right?  Why is life so stinking hard at times?  THIS happens, and then THIS happens, at the same time THIS happens… STOP!!!!!!!  Why so many challenges?

C. S. Lewis…. Do you love his writings?  I do.  Check this out…

He talked about God’s transforming power, and what He is doing in our life. We sometimes see these problems  as discouragement or bad luck which leads us to experience frustration.  But let’s look at life through C. J. Lewis’ words:

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably. … You see, He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of. … You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”

God is involved in all of our lives, (thank heaven)! He is allowing difficult events to take place in our lives in order to build a better, stronger version of you. (Is this helping?)

Expect challenge!  Expect hard times! Expect illness! Then… embrace it when it comes knocking on your door. For these are the tools that are refining us intro something greater than ourselves.

Additionally, take a moment to push despair aside, and consider all that you have in your life… whatever that is.  Your sight, family, friends, talent, and…. your ability to brighten someones day.

Back off a bit… slow life down… breathe! You don’t have to be the best at everything.  Just… TRY your best!

One last thought.  Ask for help at times when you need it.  From others… and …From God. Perhaps the very lesson of life that you are struggling with, which is leading to your discouragement, might just be pride.  =)