Encouragement - Discouragement

The despair that besets us when frustrations come can be of two kinds; a despair that causes us to give up; or a despair that makes us go to the depths and draw from our best resources.  One kind is futile, the other is fruitful.  Despair comes uninvited, but only remains where it is entertained.  If it is nurtured through depressive thoughts and fed with pessimistic attitudes, it remains.  But when the soul takes flight to greater thoughts, despair flees.  Hope, faith and a positive will, all starve despair.   Despair is not handled by giving in.  It is handled best by giving out – giving out something of ourselves to others.  By giving out, a person has no time for despair, so it departs.

The major cause of discouragement is a temporary loss of perspective or vision.

“Every great work, every great accomplishment, has been brought into manifestation through holding to the vision, and often just before the big achievement comes apparent failure and discouragement” (Florence S. Shinn)

Reread words of encouragement.  “One kind word can warm three winter months.” (Japanese proverb) …  Saving and rereading notes from friends, birthday and thank-you cards, letters of recognition from work, etc. can help encourage a heavy heart.

If you want to experience your own miracle today, try planting a seed of encouragement in the heart of somebody who’s ready to throw in the towel.

When we're on the brink of failure, the right word at the right time can keep us in the game. When we're too tired or discouraged to keep going, an act of compassion can give us new strength. Encouragement is one of the central themes of the Bible: 'Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad' (Proverbs 12:25 NKJV).

Sometimes our discouragement has nothing to do with what God does or does not do, and everything to do with our mistaken assumptions of how we think things should turn out.

“Good work habits help you develop an internal toughness and a self-confident attitude that will sustain you through every adversity and temporary discouragement.”  (Paul J. Fleyer)

A man was once court-martialed and sentenced to a year's imprisonment for being a discourager. It happened during the Boer War at the siege of Ladysmith. The fortunes of the town and garrison were hanging in the balance. This civilian would go along the lines and speak discouraging words to the men on duty. He struck no blow for the enemy, not one. He was just a discourager and that at a critical time. The court-martial judged it a crime to speak disheartening words in an hour like that.

“What we do not see, what most of us never suspect of existing, is the silent but irresistible power which comes to the rescue of those who fight on in the face of discouragement.” (Napoleon Hill)