For the past several weeks, a dear young friend’s husband has been in grueling training for a public service career. The military-like program has taken him near the breaking point physically and psychologically. A few days ago she relayed a phone conversation she had been able to have with him after a particularly exhausting day.
“…he was quick to acknowledge the lies that were getting him down (some from the enemy, and some from the camp staff in all their mind games). … If you want to pray specifically, I feel like the lie that has been getting him the most lately is that he’s going to get fired for not meeting … standards, so why not quit now? The truth is, he is easily meeting the minimum standards and much more, but they are pushing them far far beyond those minimums to see what they can get out of them. They will not fire them (they told them this at the start), but they want to see if they can get them to quit. Some of the camp staff take the liberty to tell them they will fire them, but those saying that have no such authority. It’s all a mind game. I’m sure learning a lot about Satan and his methods from dear Sgt M___. 😫 (please forgive my sarcasm ☺️)”

Discouragement is a form of fear. When we’re discouraged, we’re afraid that things won’t get better. Discouragement can push us toward quitting/running away from our responsibilities. We can use it as a license to give up. When we’re focused on our circumstances and our feelings, Satan tells us lies to discourage us and distract us from focusing on God.

The antidote is to stop listening to the lies of the enemy of our souls, others, or even our own emotions and start listening to our kind, truth-telling God who is aware of our needs and is ready to give us grace so we can bear up under pressure.

“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.
In his kindness, God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. All power to him forever! Amen.
. . . My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God’s grace for you. Stand firm in this grace..” 1 Peter 5:8-12

God’s part:
Called us kindly to share his glory because of Jesus.
Restores
Supports
Strengthens
Establishes, grounds, settles us
Gives grace

Satan’s part:
Prowling
Roaring
Looking for someone to devour

Our part:
Stay alert!
Watch out!
Stand firm against Satan
Be strong in faith
Remember others are going through this, too
Suffer a little while
Be encouraged in grace
Stand firm in grace

The verses preceding the verses that tell us to be wary of our enemy, tell us what kind of God is on our side against our enemy. He is the God who has lofty plans for us. He will lift us up and honor us when the time is right. And he is always caring about and for us. We don’t have to do life alone. He is constantly looking out for us. His plans for us are good and he is supplying the grace we need to persevere.

“…’God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.’  (Proverbs 3:34)
So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. . . My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God’s grace for you. Stand firm in this grace.” 1 Peter 5:5-7, 12

When discouragement distracts me, I know it’s a signal that I need to refocus on God. I redirect my thoughts from my fearful feelings to what God is like. I review the things I know to be true about how God treats me:
He takes care of me. (Psalm 23, 1 Peter 5:7)
He never leaves me. (Genesis 28:15, Deuteronomy 31:6, Hebrews 13:5)
He is constantly thinking of me. (Psalm 139, Matthew 10:30)
He has good planned for me. (Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 8:28)
He provides what I need. (Genesis 22:14, Philippians 4:19)

Then I just take time to read God’s Word and let it sink deep into my thinking. When my thinking/outlook/attitude is changed by reading and meditating on Scripture, eventually even my feelings change. I don’t have a magic formula to give you for what to read in the Bible when you’re feeling low. But I do know that God’s Spirit will guide you to passages that will build your faith and encourage you to hold onto God. The more you study the Scriptures, the more the Spirit will bring helpful passages to mind when you need them. I use an online Bible study website that has a good concordance. Biblegateway.com/passage/?search. (Just enter the word you’re looking for in the top search bar. Then the app will bring up a list of Bible verses that include that word.) I love being able to look up a word and find it’s location in the Bible. Then I read the whole chapter where that word is found and often the chapter before and after so I understand the context. Filling our minds with God’s record of what he wants us to know puts us on a high road.

Another thing that pulls me upward when I’m sinking is to reaffirm my trust in God. I tell the Lord and myself that I want his will, not mine, and that I submit to his kind plan. I repeat that he knows what I don’t and that he is directing my life according to what he knows is best for me in the long run.

Something else that lifts me up is thanking him for the ways he has helped me in the past, and thanking him for the little things I enjoy each day.

I gain a new, higher view when I recall his attributes that excel all other entities in the universe. My God is all-powerful, all-knowing, always present, loving, patient, kind, gracious, gentle, trustworthy, and faithful. He is never cruel, evil, or random. He is everything good and beautiful and pure.

My emotions are renewed when I engage with music that praises God. Music that lifts God up also lifts me up.

“You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. LORD my God, I praise you forever.” Psalm 30:

Let’s watch out for lies!  Let’s focus on God by remembering how he feels about us, reading his Word, submitting, thanking him, remembering his beautiful attributes, and letting music renew us.