How to Overcome Discouragement

In Nehemiah 4:10 I read, “Then the people of Judah said, ‘The work crews are worn out, and there is too much rubble. We can’t continue to rebuild the wall.’” (GW)

Discouragement is curable. When I get discouraged, I can review the book of Nehemiah. This great leader of ancient Israel understood there were four reasons for discouragement.

First, I get fatigued. I simply get tired as the laborers did in Nehemiah 4:10: “Then the people of Judah said, ‘The work crews are worn out, and there is too much rubble. We can’t continue to rebuild the wall’” (GW).

Human beings wear out. We can’t burn the candle at both ends. If I’m discouraged, I may not have to change anything major in my life. I may just need rest! Sometimes the most spiritual thing I can do is go to bed.

Second, I get frustrated. Nehemiah says there was rubble all around, so much so that it was getting in the way of rebuilding the wall. Do I have “rubble” in my life? Have I noticed that anytime I start doing something new, the rubble (the frustrations that keep me from working toward your goal) starts piling up?

If I don’t clean it out periodically, it will stop my progress. I can’t avoid it, so I need to learn to recognize it and dispose of it quickly so that I don’t lose focus on my goals.

Third, I think I’ve failed. Nehemiah’s people were unable to finish their task as quickly as originally planned, and, as a result, their confidence collapsed. They thought, “We were stupid to think we could ever rebuild this wall.”

If I don’t reach a goal on time, I should just set a new goal and not give up. Everybody fails; everybody does foolish things. The issue is not that I failed; it’s how I respond to my failure.

Do I give in to self-pity? Do I start blaming others? Do I start complaining that it’s impossible? Or do I refocus on God’s intentions and start moving again?

Finally, I give in to fear. Giving in to fear leads to discouragement. Nehemiah 4 suggests that the people most affected by fear are those who hang around negative people. To control the negative thoughts in my life, avoid negative people as much as I can.

Maybe I’m discouraged because of fear and I say, “I can’t handle this. It’s too much responsibility.” Maybe it’s the fear of criticism. Or I think you don’t deserve to succeed. Fear will destroy my life if I let it. But I can choose to resist the discouragement by saying, “God, help me get my eyes off the problem and the circumstances and keep my eyes on you.”

I don’t have to stay stuck in my discouragement. Ask God to help me figure out the reason for it, address it, and start moving forward in confidence.

In summary, discouragement is curable. When I get discouraged, I can review the book of Nehemiah. It shows the strategy taken by a great leader of ancient Israel who understood there were four reasons for discouragement. First, getting fatigued or tired, as was indicated by the laborers Nehemiah 4:10. We wear out. We can’t burn the candle at both ends. If I’m discouraged, I may not have to change anything major, I may just need rest! Second, getting frustrated. Nehemiah says there was rubble all around, so much so that it was getting in the way of rebuilding the wall. Do I have “rubble” in my life (the frustrations that keep me from working toward a goal) start piling up? If I don’t clean it out periodically, it will stop my progress. I can’t avoid it, so I need to learn to recognize it and dispose of it quickly so that I don’t lose focus on my goals. Third, thinking I’ve failed. Nehemiah’s people were unable to finish their task as quickly as originally planned, and, as a result, their confidence collapsed. If I don’t reach a goal on time, I should just set a new goal and not give up. The issue is not that I failed; it’s how I respond to my failure. Do I find myself giving in to self-pity? Do I start blaming others? Do I start complaining that it’s impossible? Or do I refocus on God’s intentions and start moving again? Finally, I give in to fear. Giving in to fear leads to discouragement. Those most affected by fear are those who hang around negative people. To control the negative thoughts in my life, avoid negative people as much as I can. Maybe I’m discouraged because of fear and I say, “I can’t handle this. It’s too much responsibility.” Maybe it’s the fear of criticism. Or I think you don’t deserve to succeed. Fear will destroy my life if I let it. But I can choose to resist the discouragement by saying, “God, help me get my eyes off the problem and the circumstances and keep my eyes on you.” I don’t have to stay stuck in my discouragement. Ask God to help me figure out the reason for it, address it, and start moving forward in confidence.

Accomplishing any large task is tiring. There are always pressures that foster discouragement, the task seems impossible, it can never be finished, or too many factors are working against us. The only cure for fatigue and discouragement is focusing on God's purposes. Nehemiah reminded the workers of their calling, their goal, and God's protection. If I'm overwhelmed by an assignment, tired, and discouraged, remember God's purpose for my life and his special purpose for the project.  The people working on the walls faced the continual threat of terrorist attacks from those who didn't want to see Jerusalem rebuilt. Threats demoralize. The tension created by the possibility of sudden assaults adds to fatigue. Nehemiah too wise, practical steps to count the threats: (1) He stationed guards at obvious week points; (2) he reminded the workers to keep weapons close at hand and to fight for God, their families, and the nation if an attack came; (3) he established duty rotations so that some stood guard while others worked. The preparations for defense and the continuation of the work reversed the effects of terrorism and demoralized the enemies. Obstacles and foes can make us work smarter and live wiser or make us give up our purpose and our way of living. If they accomplish the latter, they have won even if they haven't actually attacked us. But If we adjust our way of living wisely while continuing resolutely to live under God's instructions, the opposition will fail.