How do you deal with discouragement?
You are listening to Abide in Jesus, the podcast for women who want to experience Christ’s healing touch in their lives. I’m your host author, Carolyn Rice. And in this episode, we will discuss old wounds and discouragement.
Old wounds and Discouragement
Old wounds. I found myself there this last weekend I have had so much healing in my life, and I found myself touched by an old wound this weekend. You know, when you thought you dealt with something and you thought you were healed, and then all of a sudden years later, this old wound rises again. Someone said something to me, and it just touched that old wound. And I found myself discouraged because I thought I’d already gone there.
I thought I was healed and obviously I had some more work to do. I found myself blindsided. I wasn’t expecting this person to say what they did.
As I entered into worship that Sunday, I saw in the spirit that this person in no way meant to hurt me, but the devil used it as a great big dart. He knew right where to hit me to bring discouragement.
I also was really tired this weekend. It had been a busy week and I needed rest. My emotions were high. And even though I willed them not to, the tears slipped quietly from my eyes.
Have you ever found yourself dealing with so many things at one time that one small thing someone says breaks the camel’s back? That’s where I was this weekend.
And then come the thoughts, thoughts of discouragement. Thoughts of, I thought I was over this, I thought I was healed. And then the enemy’s lies come. The things he said to me were, “What are you doing writing to help others when you’re still dealing with this? Maybe you’re not as far as you thought you were. Maybe you shouldn’t step out into that new podcast or write that new book.”
The devil tries to talk you out of what God’s called you to do, to discourage you from God’s purposes for you.
So, I prayed, and I asked God to just show me that he loves me in that moment.
And a few moments later, everyone was walking forward to get their communion cups. And my friend walked by, she gave me this huge hug and it wasn’t just a passing by hug, it was a I’m going to hold you for a minute hug. It’s just what I needed. And then she stepped back and she said, “Daddy, God loves you. Chin up precious girl.”
She had no idea what had been going on. Nothing.
God sent her at just the right time.
Ask
And when you are finding yourself in these place of emotions, you can ask the Lord, “Send someone to show me your love in this moment. Show me, Lord that you love me. Show me that I’m okay.”
And later on, when I’d gotten some rest, I brought this thing to the Lord.
And He showed me again that, you know, this person, they, they didn’t mean to hurt me at all, but it was that they had touched that old wound.
So, what I did when I was with the Lord is I forgave the person and realized that they had no intention of hurting me.
And then I went to this old wound that had opened. And I told God, how discouraged I was that I wasn’t as healed as I thought in this area. And I invited him to do more healing work in me.
I asked the Lord to fill me and all the places where I was and have been empty and asked Him to go to work in that area of my heart. And I asked Him this week to show me signs of His love for me, that I would truly know that my heavenly Father cares about what I’m going through in this. And especially this week is I opened my heart to him for more healing.
God Does the Work
It is God who does the heart surgery in us, when we are broken, when we’re dealing with things, when old wounds and discouragement come up, we open ourselves up to God and He’ll lead us to people who help us. He’s led me to counselors. He’s led me to ministries and people who have been through similar things, He will lead you to the right people to help you.
But ultimately it is God. He is doing the leading. It is God who’s doing the heart surgery. And as we follow and enter in, we allow Him to do the work. We’re not doing this ourselves.
Press On when Discouragement Comes
And I just want to share a scripture with you. Philippians 3:12 from the world English Bible.
Not that I have already obtained or am already made perfect, but I press on if it is so that I may take hold of that for which also I was taken hold of by Christ Jesus.
What Can You Do?
So, what do you do when the enemy’s arrows come at you? Or all of a sudden you are hit and blindsided by discouragement you didn’t think was there? When you are blindsided by these things, and you thought God had already worked on you or you discover new ones.
Remember How Far You’ve Come
First of all, remember how far you’ve come. Remember the very beginning of your healing and know that you’re not there anymore. I’m not there anymore. I just had a setback. Remember how far God has already brought you, what has He done for you? How much healing have you had already? Know that whatever He has done in you, he’s going to continue and you’re going to continue moving forward.
Remind yourself. Just keep that in your mind, where God has already brought you, what He’s already done for you and know that He will not leave you here. You’re not going to be stuck in this place of having a setback or realizing that there’s another area in your life where you need healing. You won’t be left here because God does not leave you.
He walks with you through it. As long as you are seeking Him, as long as you are following Him, as long as you are inviting him into heal, He is going to walk with you. He is going to lead you and guide you.
Don’t Get Stuck
The only place that I’ve seen people stay where they are, is where they’ve chosen to stay there. They’ve chosen to stay hurt. They’ve chosen to stay in that place of bitterness. And I’ve seen that God has called people out of that, but they have chosen to stay there. That’s the only time I’ve ever seen God have to leave someone in that place is where they’re just choosing to be stuck there and choosing to not move forward, choosing to not seek God for healing.
And that’s a sad place. And I think that makes Jesus sad to have to do that.
But, dear sister, if you’re seeking God, if you’re asking him to heal you, if you’re saying “God, come work on my heart.” Oh sister, He’s not going to leave you there. He is faithful.
Bind the Enemy’s Lies
So, remember how far you’ve come, and when the enemy comes with his lies, you bind those lies and renounce any agreement with them.
You can say, “Satan, in the name of Jesus I bind that lie. I renounce every agreement I’ve made with that lie, and I command that lie to fall to the ground and get off my mind. “
Bind Discouragement
And you tell that discouragement that you will not agree with it. You can say, “In the name of Jesus discouragement, I bind you. And I tell you to get off me now. I renounce every agreement I’ve made with you and I will not have you.”
Ask For Encouragement
And then you ask the Lord to bring encouragement. Like I asked Him to bring that woman to hug me, to show me in that moment that He loves me. You ask your Father for that. And He will bring it because he is faithful.
You are Not Alone
Know sister that this side of Heaven, we will have mountains and valleys to deal with, but God will be with you through all of them. You are never alone.
Press On
And then dear sister, you press on.
Don’t let one mountain make you stop moving forward.
Don’t let that one thing that is the straw that breaks the camel’s back, stop you from moving forward.
God is with you.
What the Enemy Wants You To Think
The enemy would like you to think that you’re all alone, that you are the only one suffering these things and that everyone else is okay. And you’re not.
That is a lie from the pit of hell. Oh sister, I could go into this for a long time. The enemy would like you to think that there’s no hope, he would like you to think that things will never get better.And I know this because I have been there. I have truly been there. Those are lies from the pit of hell
There is More for You
Jesus has more for you than what you’re going through.
And as you follow Him and come to Him in prayer and lay those old and possibly new found wounds at his feet, and lay that discouragement at His feet, inviting him into heal, He will not leave you here, but will lead you and guide you and comfort you and bring people to help you to move forward.
Sister. I want to say it again. You are not alone. God is with you and will bring you through this. And if you have any doubts that he’s with you, ask him, say, “Lord, I feel alone in this moment. Would you show me God that you’re with me, would you show me that I’m not alone?”
Just pray and ask your Heavenly Father, He hears your prayers. He sees your tears and He knows what you need. So, ask Him, He will be faithful to show you His love and to give you signs of His love and signs that He’s with you and that He won’t leave you.
John 14:18 in the World English Bible says, “I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you.”
There are no orphans in God’s kingdom.
There are no children out there all alone. And again, the enemy would try to tell you that you are not loved. The enemy and past experiences may try to tell you that you’re not loved. And those past experiences have probably also come from the pit of hell, but the enemy would also try to tell you that things will never get better, but God says, in Psalm 147:3 “He heals the broken in heart and binds up their wounds.” (World English Bible)
So, when you find yourself blindsided by the old wounds or new wounds in your heart, or deal with that discouragement and the lies of the enemy saying things will never get better, lift them up to God, invite Him in to heal. Remember that you are not alone, and He won’t leave you here.
And remember that there are no orphans in God’s kingdom.
Prayer
Can I pray for you?
Father, I pray for my sister in Christ. I pray that You would help her to know that she will not stay in this place of brokenness. That if she is seeking You, You will not leave her there. Help her to know that as she follows You, You will bring her to a place of healing that you are walking with her.
You are hovering over her with singing, you just delight in her. She is so precious to you. Thank you, father, that at times You carry her, You hold her when she feels like sitting down and not moving one more step forward, that You hold her and You carry her and You hug her through her tears.
Thank you Father that You are with her, that she is never ever alone. And Father, I pray that you would just speak to her heart and show her that she’s not alone in this, and You will bring her through these things. I thank you Father for showing her that there is hope.
And where there has been darkness bring the light of Your truth to her. Help my sister in Christ to step out of the darkness and into Your light, give her the courage to face things she thought she might not have been able to face and bring her the people and professionals and people that You have sent to help her step into her healing.
I thank you, Father, that you would help my sister in Christ to know that she is loved beyond measure, a precious daughter of the King of all Kings, in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.
Thank you for listening to Abide in Jesus. You can find show notes for this episode at Carolynsbooks.com.
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© 2022 Carolyn Rice
