In anguish
of heart, David raises the question we all ask in times when our soul is
troubled.
"Why art
thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted in me?" (Psalm
42:5).
The Apostle
Paul answers: "There are many adversaries... We wrestle not against
flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers
of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (I
Corinthians 16:9; Ephesians 6:12).
Too often we
view discouragement as merely a condition of our own origin and making.
Certainly it is true that we are responsible if we embrace the temptation to be
cast down. However, we fail to completely understand discouragement if we
do not factor in the existence of influences outside of ourselves who seek to
foist despair upon us. The world, the devil and the flesh (both of
ourselves and others) entice us to ignore the perpetual hope wrought in us by
the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Word of God. Failure to
recognize these nefarious attempts to disquiet our soul leaves us as
easy prey, and also fosters the discouragement which results from our being
unaware of its true origin.
Our enemies
know that a discouraged believer is a paralyzed believer. Thus, they seek
to cast us down in countless ways, while masking the very fact of their
attacks. The latter ploy may be the most effective weapon in their arsenal
because a discouraged, paralyzed believer is also a believer who feels great
condemnation for his lack of realized peace and joy. If we view
discouragement as a device completely of our own making, we will inevitably
join our enemies in casting ourselves down into the perpetually downward cycle
of ignorance and unbelief.
Even a
cursory reading of Scripture reveals that believers in the Lord Jesus have
infinitely more about which to be encouraged than discouraged. "His divine
power hath given unto us all things that pertain to life and
godliness" (II Peter 1:3). Our enemies know this, and they also know
that a consistently encouraged Christian is a sharp and double-edged sword in
the Lord's hand. Recognizing the temptation from without to be cast down
prepares us for the determination within to "fight the good fight of faith" (I
Timothy 6:12). Indeed, we do well to get our spiritual dander up, as it
were, whenever we sense discouragement. Because somebody is seeking our
harm, and even more, the stilling of our Christ-honoring walk with God.
May we not allow such a thing to happen as we "put on the whole armor of God" by
joining David in the provision He found for a soul tempted to disquiet and
despair...
"Rejoice the soul of Thy
servant: for unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul."
(Psalm
86:4)
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