Discouraged?

This is a hard season in my life, and in the life of my family. The reasons don’t really matter much, but it is really, really hard. 

And yesterday I had one of the most discouraged days of my life. I kept to myself a lot (stupid, I know). I allowed my thoughts to wander as I pretended to watch college football. As those thoughts toyed with me, I tried to discern if I was depressed or tired. If I was just upset, or simply and appropriately grieving the loss of some things that meant a lot to me.

But after sleeping for a few hours I think I found the right word: I’m discouraged.

Maybe you are too.

Think about that word for a minute.

Discouraged.

Sometimes we consider that word innocuous. But it really can be devastating, can’t it? Even if you’ve not felt devastated by discouragement, I’ll bet you can think of someone who has.

It occurred to me... discouragement is when courage gets dissed.

I’m walking with a friend through a season in his ministry where I hear far more fear in his voice than courage. And that fear is debilitating. It perpetuates and elevates his struggles.

Fear and discouragement are often found in the same closet.

But then.

Oh, but then... someone opens the door and light spills in. The name of that light?

Encouragement.

You and I have the power to encourage. You can put courage in someone! 

There is amazing power in encouragement. It not only dispels (disses!) discouragement and fear, it emboldens faith. It casts out hopelessness.

Just in case you skipped over it, I want to say it again:

YOU can put courage in someone!

Today, you can do that. Maybe even right now. Pick up the phone. Walk across the room. Pull up your email. Tweet away. 

IN-courage someone today.

We have a pretty great example...

Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” Matthew 14:27