Lenten Devotional: Give Up Discouragement and Take On God’s Confidence

Throughout this season of Lent, at our midweek services, we have been taking a look at some things to give up and some things to put on.

This week, while we are not having a lenten service because services have been cancelled, I decided to share some thoughts for this week.

What to give up: Discouragement

When things repeatedly seem to go wrong or when we find ourselves facing an extended time of difficulty, it is easy for us to grow weary and lose heart. We focus on the problem and we become discouraged. The thoughts in our minds continually go round and round. It feels like our lives are out of control. We can even find ourselves at the point of despair.

When our focus is on our problems, they seem to loom larger. They tend to pull our focus away from God and His promises for us. We feel powerless, helpless, hopeless.

What to take on: God’s confidence

In situations like this, it is important for us to fix our eyes on Jesus and His promises for us. As we do we will begin to realize that next to Him our problems don’t seem nearly as big. When we are feeling weak, in Him we are strong! That helps to restore our confidence.

The enemy would have us feel like a victim, or like a burden or useless – to get discouraged. Jesus wants us to see ourselves as victors, as a blessing, as useful to Him! He wants us to remember that His grace is enough, that nothing can separate us from His love and that He is able to work all things for a pattern of good! He wants us to put our confidence in Him and His promises.

Here are a few of the promises of confidence that can sustain us and that we can share with others:

“Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:9

“For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.”
Proverbs 3:26

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid…I have said these things to you that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have trouble. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
John 14:27; 16:33

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and grace to help us in our time of need.”
Hebrews 4:16

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame,and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
Hebrews 12:2-3