What is discouragement? A curtain of doubt that falls on you when optimism over a particular outcome is ripped away.
I can vividly remember situations where I felt discouraged. It started as a season of hope that was replaced by uncertainty and confusion.
The moment my husband walked into the room after Hurricane Katrina and said, “The city is flooded and our house may be under water.”
The moment the doctor walked in and said, “There is something on the ultrasound that I don’t like.”
The moment my brother said, “Dad fell and is not doing well.”
You have probably experienced and can recollect moments of discouragement too.
We all feel discouraged sometimes. But we can turn our disheartened spirit towards hope and encouragement despite our circumstances.
You can learn how to overcome discouragement with the help of God!
“This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.”
Hebrews 6:19 NLT
What is Discouragement
What is discouragement? It is a loss of confidence and enthusiasm.
The origin of the word discouraged is courage that is taken away.
What is discouragement? When our courage is taken away and replaced with an unknown and less desired feeling. Discouragement can cause fear, anxiety, confusion, and sadness. It is the opposite of feeling inspired and encouraged.
Discouragement hits when we feel pretty good about a situation, and something or someone rips our enthusiasm away.
We lose control. At times, we are immediately discouraged, and other times it creeps up on us unexpectedly.
Before my husband delivered the news that we may have lost our home after a hurricane flooded our city, I was hopeful that our home and life were untouched.
My hope was taken away and replaced with sadness, confusion, and doubt. I became discouraged over our future; I lost my courage, and despair threatened to replace it.
Discouragement is not one of my favorite topics to discuss or write about. I try to be optimistic; just thinking about discouragement can discourage me!
However, examining the triggers of discouragement can lead to tools that help you recover from hopelessness and learn how to overcome discouragement.
Although not all depression is linked to discouragement, repeated, unchecked discouragement can cause you to become depressed and ineffective in God’s work.
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 NLT
Understanding the condition of being discouraged and how discouragement manifests in your spirit can help you learn to alleviate its effects and avoid making it a permanent state.
You can learn how to nurture and uplift your soul.
It is getting into the habit of nurturing those emotions and connections that give us strength and hope: two emotions overwhelmed when the tide of discouragement comes over us. Is it possible to get into a place of positivity when discouragement already sets in?
I think it may be, if you know there is a path to get onto. Some encouragement from others may help, but on one’s own, just knowing it could get better may be the first bit of light at the end of the tunnel.”
Margaret Wehrenberg, Psy.D
What Causes Discouragement
Discouragement is fed by disappointment. Disappointment is a feeling of sadness when our hopes and dreams are delayed, changed, or crushed.
In life, disappointments often come. Our expectations are not met, and we struggle with the reality of a different outcome.
We usually manage to juggle disappointments and move on, but sometimes, the challenges we face are too much, and we slide into discouragement.
I was excited about my baby girl growing inside of me. When the doctor told me about the abnormal ultrasound, disappointment engulfed me. I was discouraged and lost belief in a positive outcome.
This is one story of what causes discouragement, but there are so many other ways we become uninspired and our courage is taken, including:
Fear, loss, lack of direction or purpose, chronic issues, lack of control, unhealthy relationships, loneliness, ingratitude, and an undefined identity.
This is quite a heavy list that affects most people at one time or another. When a situation or person causes discouragement, it can leave us feeling lost and overwhelmed.
But discouragement does not have to define us; recognizing what causes discouragement helps us process and grow through our feelings and, at times, make necessary changes. We are defined by God’s love for us, not our feelings.
If things are out of our control in the natural world (which they often are), remember that things are never out of God’s control. We can’t control many situations, but we can control how we process disappointment.
Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”
Mark 10:27 NLT
What does God say about Discouragement
When I wonder what God says about discouragement, I am led to the Bible. The Bible is our source to gain courage when it has been depleted. It guides us to truth and helps us see that God wants us to be encouraged.
But moments of doubt and discouragement help us grow closer to God and fully appreciate and embrace the life He offers.
“Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.”
Romans 15:4 NLT
When my home was destroyed, I turned to scripture. When my baby’s future was in doubt, I turned to scripture. In the first instance, the outcome was disappointing; we lost our home, but God’s words were still a comfort.
In the second instance, my baby was perfect, and God’s words sustained me while waiting.
The word of God gives life and is the perfect landing space for whatever you are facing today.
“But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”
Isaiah 40:31 NLT
How to Overcome Discouragement
Here are a couple of stories of Biblical characters that may encourage you. Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Caleb, a young man sent by Moses, both learned how to overcome discouragement through their trust in God.
What is Discouragement: 2 Bible Examples
How to Overcome Discouragement: Joseph
In Matthew 1, Joseph, the son of Jacob from Abraham’s lineage, is introduced. You can imagine his disappointment when he learned his fiancée, Mary, was pregnant.
What is discouragement? Disappointment in an expected outcome.
But instead of being overcome by rejection, betrayal, and total despair, he turned to God and received a message.
God provided clear directions to help him move forward, out of discouragement, and into a divine purpose for his life.
Joseph’s presence at Christ’s birth witnesses to a severe test that had emerged triumphant. Mary was the pure young woman he had fallen in love with, and was about to make his wife. Yet the Child she was about to bear would not be his.
Seeing her “great with child,” without fanfare Joseph was minded to put her away. He never acted rashly with his espoused, although he was baffled by her condition. This serves for all time as an example of godly wisdom and tender consideration for others.
Bitterly disappointed that Mary had apparently betrayed him, yet believing, he made no haste. As a praying man he waited upon God, and his love for and patience with Mary were rewarded. God understood his mental difficulties and rewarded Joseph’s conscientious attitude toward Mary by revealing His redemptive plan.
God never fails those who carry their anxieties to Him. Joseph received a direct and distinct revelation from God, and at once his fears were banished, and his line of duty made clear.”
BibleGateway All the Men of the Bible
How to Overcome Discouragement: Caleb
In Numbers 13, we can learn from Caleb, the son of Jephunneh of the tribe of Judah. Moses commissioned Caleb and 11 other men to inspect the Promised Land of Canaan.
When they returned after scouting the land, they were discouraged and told Moses that the people were too strong and the Israelites should not proceed into Canaan.
What is discouragement? Feeling afraid or ill-equipped to handle a situation.
Caleb was the only voice to say they could move into the land flowing with milk and honey because he trusted in God.
Although Caleb was not an Israelite by birth, he was “an Israelite indeed.” He was one of the chief spies sent out by Moses. He was courageous and persevered when the other spies became discouraged.
He was invincible in driving out giants, completely devoted to God and vigorous in old age. Six times it is recorded of Caleb, “he hath fully followed the Lord.”
His consecration was thorough. What magnificent adverbs are used to describe Caleb. He followed faithfully, wholly, fully. He never lowered his standards, but was perpetually wholehearted. His courage was unfaltering.”
BibleGateway/ All the Men of the Bible
May these stories of encouragement inspire your spirit and remind you that God is with you in the mountains and valleys of life.
In the valleys, you can call out to Him for comfort and be shaped to appreciate your mountain-top experiences fully.
“You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills”
Psalm 104:10 ESV
How Do You Overcome Discouragement
Since we are all unique, as are our challenges, our answers to the question of how to overcome discouragement will be different.
After my dad fell and broke his neck, he did not recover. I thought he was going to get better. When my dad died from his injuries, the discouragement threatened to swallow me.
What is discouragement? A loss of hope that threatens to isolate and disconnect you from God and others.
But God is always faithful in hearing our prayers, and I recovered, knowing that my dad was with Jesus. I am now able to share this story with others about how to overcome discouragement.
5 Tips to Overcome Discouragement
When we understand what discouragement is, it helps us to begin to move on and practice overcoming it.
Here are five tips I have personally used to overcome discouragement in my life, and I hope they will help you be encouraged:
- Acknowledge that you are discouraged. Often, we can move on from feeling disappointed, but sometimes, when our struggle is particularly tough, we get stuck. That is when discouragement sets in, and we must admit that we have feelings of doubt. We must accept our hurts, mistakes, or setbacks and acknowledge self-doubt. It is not a failure to examine the truth about our feelings.
- Talk about your discouragement with a trusted friend, pastor, counselor, and God in prayer. It’s okay to cry out about how sad you are about an outcome. It is okay to process feelings of guilt. It helps us move on instead of languishing in sadness for too long.
- Read, watch, and listen to encouraging stories. Reading about others’ hardships and how they overcame discouragement is powerful, spiritual medicine. Studying others’ triumphs lifts you, keeps things in perspective, and helps you persevere instead of giving up. Some of my favorite inspiring stories are from the lives of Corrie Ten Boom, Anne Frank, and C.S. Lewis.
- Encourage someone else. I know this is a hard one when you feel sad. But when we look at others’ needs and see that we can help, it encourages us and them. Sometimes, buying someone coffee, listening to their story, or saying a kind word can make a huge difference. Encouragement is powerful!
- Accept that we cannot control everything. This is hard to do, but it is essential to moving on from situations that are not going our way. If we try to maintain control when it is not possible, we can quickly become discouraged and move toward despair. Surrendering and letting go of control strengthens your trust in God and frees you to reclaim your courage.
I hope you are feeling encouraged today, have a better understanding of discouragement, and that these tools help you find a path toward overcoming discouragement and resting in God’s hope.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Butterfly Living
Featured Image by Mathias Reding on Unsplash
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