When Discouragement Threatens

Discouragement is one of the greatest enemies of faith.

It is often irrational and frequently ignores clear evidence that things are not always as they seem. The children of Israel were masters of discouragement. It could be said they had a good reason for their disposition.

Driven by famine to a foreign land, they were pressed into slavery and forced into hard labor following the death of Joseph, who had saved Egypt from ruin. Their bitter experience was made even more bitter when the Egyptian Pharaoh decreed the Israelites must gather straw for the bricks they were being compelled to manufacture. In this trying time, God encouraged Moses by reminding him He was the God who “appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty.” God spoke to Moses of the covenant He had made to give His people “the land of Canaan,” and He reassured Moses He had “heard the groaning of the children of Israel” (Exodus 6:3–5). He then instructed Moses to tell the people He would indeed bring them out of Egypt, free them from slavery, and return them to the Promised Land (verses 6–8).

Moses passed God’s message on to the children of Israel, but they were too discouraged to listen. They had seen Moses perform miraculous signs. Joseph had given instruction that his bones not be buried in Egypt, stating his belief that Israel would be liberated from Egypt. But in the heat of their trial, the children of Israel could not see with eyes of faith. Refusing to listen to Moses, they succumbed to their despondency.

Discouragement is a very human characteristic.

But when discouragement threatens, it is important to look beyond extreme circumstances, and by faith, view the Almighty God seated on heaven’s throne.

Life is filled with situations designed to crush hopes and shatter dreams. But faith sees beyond the seen and believes that in the realm of the unseen, there is a God who has solutions for our problems and a bright tomorrow ahead.