Do you get discouraged? The answer has to be "yes.” If you aren't now, you have been. If you haven't been, you will be. None of us go through life without periods of discouragement. Let’s examine practical ways we can defeat discouragement.

Did you realize the Bible is full of discouraged people? Let's think about some of the reasons they were discouraged, because they're very similar to the things that discourage us.

David

Oh, that I had wings of a dove! David wrote; I would fly away and be at rest…I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm (Psalm 55:5-6:8). David was discouraged because of an enemy who was jealous of him and trying to destroy him.

Do you have some people in your life who are consciously trying to do you harm? Are there some people close to you who are jealous or mean or vindictive? That can be very discouraging.

Elijah

Elijah was discouraged because of exhaustion. After a great spiritual victory, when he called down fire from heaven and destroyed all the prophets of Baal, one little woman scared him to death because she threatened to kill him. And he was ready to give up. "I have had enough, Lord," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors” (1 Kings 19:4).

I find I am often discouraged after spiritual victories. How about you? Do you often find yourself discouraged just when God has done something wonderful in your life? It's not unusual.

Hannah

Hannah was discouraged because the deepest desire of her heart had not been given to her. And it was a good and worthy desire—to have a baby she could give back to the Lord. Downhearted and discouraged, in bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord for a baby (1 Samuel 1).

Some of you are discouraged because of unfulfilled desires. Maybe it's the desire to be married, but the right person hasn't come along. Maybe, like Hannah, it's the desire to have a baby, but your womb has been closed so far. Maybe it's your dreams of serving God in some special way, but the door hasn't opened yet. It can be discouraging.

We can certainly see discouragement is nothing new; it's been around since the beginning of time.