Discouragement And Disappointments

All of us experience these things at one point or another in our lives. Sometimes we experience these things because our expectations are much too high. We may set too high a standard for our lives, plus our goals and dreams may go way beyond our abilities to accomplish them. What we need is to try to understand our limitations.

I know that God has a plan for each of our lives and, if we are willing with God’s help, we can and will accomplish that plan or goal. There is a verse in the Bible that says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Does this verse mean that we can do everything? I don’t think so, I think it means we can accomplish whatever God’s will may be for our lives at the time.

Sometimes we experience discouragement and disappointments because of our health and it is easy to blame God when we are afflicted with different ailments. But do we ever think about the lifestyles we live or have lived over the years, the food we eat or have eaten? Most of us can thank God for whatever health we have considering how many times we have abused our bodies in the past with substance abuse and many other things we brought on ourselves over the years. And what about the lack of exercise we perform, how many of us are just plain couch potatoes doing very little outside of watching the "boob tube" or spending hours on the computer? What about many of the things we indulge in after we become believers that are affecting our health in many ways?

Let’s talk about prayer, sometimes when we pray we experience discouragement and disappointment because we pray selfish prayers or we only pray when we want God to do something in our lives or we pray haphazardly without any faith whatsoever. Remember a relationship isn’t just throwing a request up when we are in trouble or only when we want something. A relationship with the Lord will take dedication, time, sacrifice and a commitment. Spending time with the Lord should be your first priority not your last resort.

Discouragement and disappointments also come from outside sources, things that you can’t control. It may be people or it might be weather, it might be a car broken down or a loss of a job or a loss of a loved one. It may be the loss of a home, there are multitudes of things that can take place that are out of your control. These things can cause stress, discouragement, disappointment, heavy depression, strokes and heart attacks and other illnesses.

Let me share with you something that would be very helpful in your healing. This may sound weird and strange but I think you should start praising the Lord. The Bible says that, "God inhabits the praise of His people." When you start praising the Lord from the heart God will show up, He will be in it. The Bible says to "sing a new song to the Lord," "Come before Him with praise and thanksgiving." There seems to be such a lack of sincere praise in the church today.

I have written some praise songs with the Lord’s help over the years, none that are famous and you may never hear them but I sing some of them almost every morning when I have my devotions. You may never hear me sing them and most churches would never allow me to sing them but I think God is pleased with me singing them. God said, "Man looks on the outside, but God looks at the heart" and pleasing God is what really matters.

How many times do you just praise the Lord regardless of the situation you find yourself in? I have written on this subject and I have spoken on this subject and I have prayed about this subject and I probably will never stop. It seems like most people think that singing songs is the only way to praise the Lord but I have some news for you that is only one way to praise the Lord. It is not the song and it is not the music that is the main factor in praising the Lord, no, it is the attitude of the heart that is much more important to the Lord. Do you ever think that the Lord may get a lot more lip service than praise when people sing praise songs, and what about the lies that take place when singing some praise songs?

Please don’t get mad at me. I have been there. Just do me, and yourself, a favor, think about the words you are singing when you are in a praise service, or the praise time in your church with an open mind and be honest, I think what you will find is that what I am saying is true.

You can praise the Lord in song and with just plain music and everything else you do if you do the things to honor the Lord and to glorify God.

I am convinced that if you live a life of praise and thanksgiving the discouragement and disappointments will have to dissipate and you can be set free and the joy of the Lord will be your strength. Try sincerely praising the Lord, if you are experiencing these things in your life and see what happens. Live a life of perpetual praise and thanksgiving, your perspectives will have to change. Don’t take my word for it, try it for yourself. God Bless You and have a great day.