Discouragement - Part 6 - Action Plan

Deep discouragement is a formidable foe, but it is possible for a believer to have victory in the battle. There are steps that a Christian can take that will help first to arrest the discouragement and then to advance in a positive direction. These steps are beneficial even if the discouragement or depression is rooted in an uncontrollable physical condition.

God has given man the capacity to observe, evaluate, and learn about human nature. Those in the mental health field have developed strategies for fighting depression. While some of those strategies may be a little bizarre or perhaps totally man-centered, others are profitable, inasmuch as they agree with the natural laws designed by God. Following are several suggestions that are in harmony with the Bible.

PHYSICAL STRATEGIES

1. Identify and treat any medical cause. "But when Jesus heard this, He said, 'It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick'" (Matthew 9:12).

2. Get a proper amount of sleep. "It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; for He gives to His beloved . . . sleep" (Psalm 127:2).

3. Eat right. "The angel of the LORD came again a second time and touched him and said, 'Arise, eat, because the journey is too great for you'" (I Kings 19:7).

4. Engage in exercise and activity. "The sleep of the working man is pleasant" (Ecclesiastes 5:12).

SOCIAL STRATEGIES

1. Purposefully be around people. "Woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up" (Ecclesiastes 4:10).

2. Seek humor and laughter. "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones" (Proverbs 17:22).

3. Resume doing things that were previously enjoyable. "After some days Paul said to Barnabas, 'Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are" (Acts 15:36).

4. In spite of the challenges, keep doing what must be done. "Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later" (Hebrews 3:5).

MENTAL STRATEGIES

1. Set goals. "Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:12).

2. Instead of focusing on feelings, learn to focus on thoughts. "When my heart was embittered and I was pierced within, then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You" (Psalm 73:21-22).

3. Identify particular dangers or triggers. "I said, 'I will guard my ways that I may not sin with my tongue'" (Psalm 39:1).

While each of the above strategies can produce some profit, there are spiritual strategies that are even more beneficial and that will accomplish far more than these other helps. When the spirit of man suffers, the spirit of man must respond to God, who is able to help the inner part of man that nothing else can mend.

SPIRITUAL STRATEGIES

1. Be humble. "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time" (I Peter 5:6). Usually in the midst of discouragement, there is some identifiable cause or contributing factor. Whether that be a thwarted goal, a spiritual struggle, a financial distress, a physical illness, an uncomfortable situation, or any other discomfort, the believer must humble himself under God's hand. He must not fight against God's plan and work. No matter what form God's work may take and no matter what challenges it may bring, the believer must submit to what God is doing. Submission is the means to acquire grace.

2. Pray for wisdom. "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5). In the midst of a particular time of trouble, a believer may feel completely lost. He might not know what to do, how to proceed, how to endure, or how to get out of the spiritual and emotional struggle he is in. God has the wisdom for all of these things, and a Christian can confidently come to God and ask for the guidance and wisdom he lacks.

3. Talk to God. "Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us" (Psalm 62:8). Sadly, during the times of deepest struggle, some Christians will forsake God. They will deem themselves unworthy to come to Him, or they will think that He does not care. God always cares. He invites His children to come and to share from the depths of their hearts. Believers can always talk to God honestly, openly, and without reserve.

4. Think right thoughts. "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute; if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things" (Philippians 4:8). While emotions may sometimes seem out of control, thoughts can be controlled. It may be difficult, especially at first, but with practice, a believer can learn to think right and valuable and helpful things even in the midst of struggle. A great way to ponder each of the characteristics listed above is to think about God Himself and what He is like.

5. Endure. "Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised" (Hebrews 10:35-36). It may seem like relief will never come, and, in fact, the answer might be a long way off. It also might be right around the corner. Man cannot know how close the answer is, but instead of giving up, he must continue on with God's help and with the confident expectation that God will help.

Especially in more severe cases of discouragement, relief will not be immediate. A journey up will be required to recover from the journey down. There is hope, however, both in the practical strategies that man can discover as well as through the spiritual strategies that God has revealed in His Word. Not surprisingly, God's strategies can work faster, deeper, and more effectively than man's strategies would dare to hope.