3 Promises of God to Overcome Discouragement {Bible Study}

If you’re a Christian woman who feels discouraged, you’re not alone. We’re constantly tempted to compare instead of being content; we’re encouraged to rush instead of embracing where we are, and subtly and overtly, we’re constantly told through media that we’re not enough. That ends today with the one verse I’ll share in this video that will completely change how you view yourself and God to give you the strength to overcome discouragement and live victoriously. Enjoy.

Does it ever feel like discouragement comes out of nowhere sometimes? We’re on a roll, working, living life, doing our thing and feeling good. And then BAM! One thought, an offhand comment, or a social post derails you. You start to wonder what you did wrong or if you’re wrong. You question if you should even put in the effort or if you’re wasting your time. You worry about how you look to others, and all the excitement you have for life is sucked dry. You my friend, are discouraged. It means you’ve lost your confidence or enthusiasm for yourself, your work, or life in general, but the most important truth you need to understand about discouragement is it does not come from God.

In today’s video, you’ll learn:

•  📖 The one truth we can always hold onto when discouraged.
• 🛡️ 4 causes of discouragement and how to overcome each one.
• ✨ 3 promises to believe to keep your soul encouraged.

But first, I need to make it clear. Do not hear me saying just get over it. That is not what this video is about. Discouragement is a valid emotion we all experience for a variety of reasons. Although the Bible tells us not to be discouraged, God says so for good reason. He is and will always be with us. (Joshua 1:9) That’s the one truth we can always hold onto to invigorate our souls to keep going and not give up. The verse reads:

“This is my command, be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9 NLT)

God is with us; the promise of His presence was meant to be an encouragement to us in the face of discouragement. Knowing who God is in the middle of our circumstances, and who we are in Him is the fastest way to overcome discouragement. 

What Really Causes Discouragement

1. We get discouraged when we forget that God is with us

Oftentimes, we become overwhelmed with discouragement when we forget that we’re not alone and we don’t have to do this life by ourselves. When we remember the God we serve, who goes before us, and orders our steps, and opens doors for us no man can shut, we operate with a courage most people don’t have. We start to do things we never thought we could. 

2. We Get Discouraged When Life is Not Easy

When Moses died, it was Joshua who would now lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. God told Josuha not to be discouraged because God knew that what awaited Joshua would tempt him to be discouraged. He would lead in a capacity he ever had before, go places he’d never gone, and conquer new territory. These were all good things the Israelites had probably been praying decades for, but it wouldn’t be easy. 

When things aren't easy, we tend to get discouraged, but ease is not required for victory. In fact, most times we will have to do the difficult and seemingly impossible to acquire the victory we desire. You know what that takes? It takes courage. The ability to move forward when you can see the entire path. The focus to keep working when no one else catches the vision. The faith to move when others tell you it won’t work. The conviction to keep going simply because you know God’s the One who called you to go. This is something that Joshua would definitely have to keep in mind as he moved forward on his mission. He would have to remember that it was God who called him, and who was with him, so that he would not get discouraged.

3. We get discouraged when we expect the worst. 

As we go through life, there will be many voices coming our way from other people, close relatives, friends, teachers, the enemy, our own thoughts, and when those voices don’t align with the truth of God, we can find ourselves not expecting God‘s plan to come through and we get discouraged. Having a Godly expectation is key to staying encouraged. When we don’t expect God to work things out, no matter what it looks like, we will hesitate, we’ll freeze in fear, and risk forfeiting our destiny. 

Before the Israelites entered the Promised Land, Moses sent twelve spies to check out the land and report back their findings. The two spies, Caleb and Joshua confirmed, came back and reported that the land was good. It was filled with milk and honey, and they should go in and take this land that God promised to them. But the other spies gave a different report. They didn’t see the promise, they saw the problem. They reported that the people in the land were big and the cities were fortified, and their word discouraged the Israelites from moving forward. They would wander in the wilderness 40 years before they would take hold of their promise from God to enter this land.  

We have to realize the seriousness of discouragement. It is a tool of the enemy to stop you from doing what God called you to do, and receive what God has for you. It’s not just about feeling bad and feeling small. It’s about keeping you from your destiny. So we have to ask ourselves, if we want to stay encouraged, who will I listen to? What will I expect God to do? How will I expect God to move in this situation? How we answer that question will determine if we overcome the temptation of discouragement or not. 

• Discouragement says: it’s not going to work out, so I might as well not try. Courage says: if God says that it’ll happen, it will be so. 

•  Discouragement says I’m too weak. I’m too small. I don’t have the right parents or the right past, so it won’t happen for me. Courage says: I don’t care who I am, I know Who God says I am. I know the God that goes before me and after me and beside me and within me. 
•  Discouragement says: it won’t ever get better. It’ll always be the same. Courage says: God is doing a new thing. He will make a way in the wilderness and streams and dry places because that’s the kind of God that we serve.
•  Discouragement looks at the problem. It looks at people. It looks at ourselves. Courage looks at God. Courage speaks God‘s truth.

We have a choice to make. Will we listen to the lies of discouragement or will we believe in the promises of God?

4. We get discouraged when our identity is in the wrong place.

It’s one thing to know the promises of God so that we can stay encouraged, but if we don’t believe those promises apply to us, we still will find ourselves being tempted with discouragement. This is because we have to both know and believe the promises of God, in order for them to encourage us to move forward in faith. How do we know that the promises of God apply to us? Because we are His children and joint heirs with Christ. When our identity is misplaced, we’ll find ourselves trapped in discouragement, but when we know who we are in Christ, we gain the courage to flourish.  

3 Promises of God When You Feel Discouraged

Now you must know what promises are rightfully yours as a child of God. Here are three: 

1. God Will Do It

1 Thessalonians 5:24 says:

“He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:24 ESV)

Often, when we’re discouraged, it’s because we doubt it will happen. It is being whatever we’re hoping for. But we hold the promise that if God is the One who called us to it, it’s not just on us. We can do our part and certainly trust that God will do His. 

2. God Will Finish What He Starts

Philippians 1:6 days:

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6 ESV)

When what we’re hoping for takes longer than we expect, we can start to get discouraged. We wonder if we’ve wasted our time or if we’re headed in the wrong direction. But we hold the promise that we serve a God who finishes what He starts, no matter how long it takes. He is not in a rush and will faithfully fulfill His promise in His perfect timing. Impatience on our part feeds discouragement, but when we trust God’s timing, we’re filled with hope that time is never against us when we trust in God.

3. Your Work is Not in Vain

1 Corinthians 15:58 says:

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (­1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV)

It’s easy to get discouraged when we don’t see much fruit from our labor yet. When we’ve been working and faithful, but we’ve yet to see the fruit of our work as we desire, we can start to lose heart. When we’re working for God, we can always trust that our work is never a waste. God uses everything for a higher purpose and what we may consider wasted time, God sees as training ground preparing us for what’s next. Nothing is wasted in the Kingdom and all has a purpose. 

As you can see, God has given us everything we need to overcome discouragement; His presence and His promises. It’s up to us to remind ourselves of His truth when discouragement comes, so I want to invite you to watch this video where I share 3 steps to encourage yourself in the Lord.

For more encouragement, download my free Bible Study called “Worry-Free” to learn the 3 lies feeding your worry and the truth to set you free at belovedwomen.org. Thanks for watching and until next time, be beautiful, be blessed, and beloved.