“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”-{Romans 8:28}
DESPAIR -is that feeling of complete loss of hope.
Often when we yield to fear, hopelessness is not far behind. Circumstances pressing in and we cannot see a way out or through or around them, and so we succumb and give in to hopelessness, which means we choose to turn our backs on believing God, His promises and refuse to place our confidence, reliance in Him or His Word. To embrace despair we must choose to reject God and the hope He provides and promises. It does not mean we lose our salvation, but it does mean we have made a choice, perhaps out of fear, to lean to our own understanding and in doing so not leaning, relying on Him! Despair is like an anchor wrapped around our ankles that drags us further down and down until there is the “feeling” of no hope. It is a terrible, terrible thing.
It often comes like a fog, slowly beginning with one “thought” that has not been caught by you or me, in seeing does it pass the test of what God says we are to allow our mind to dwell on according to Philippians 4:8 where He says, “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise..”
If we were to take the temptation to the despairing thought and run it through this “grid” in Philippians 4:8 and examine it and ask is this thought true of God, His promises, who I am “in Christ?” Is it honorable, right, pure, etc… we would not allow such temptations to lay hold and eventually dominate our thinking. For two reasons,
Firstly– It does not Honor God.
Secondly, it does not pass the test God provides for us to think on continually.
For example, is the despairing thought “worthy of Praise? NO! Therefore though it comes to mind you do not have to allow it entrance so you choose to continually think on it or it will dominate, and influence your thinking Refusing to think continuously on those thoughts, how? By choosing to think on what is “worthy of praise,” for example, God, His promises, His love for you, His Sovereignty over the situation, His promise to work “All things” concerning you for good, these are the “things” the truth that is “worthy of Praise,” for your thought life to dwell on!
Think on Philippians 4:8.-
“Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].-{Amplified Bible}
This is a powerful verse in the fight against the temptation to despair or any other temptation. This would be good for you to learn and use in the fight of faith!
If we do not capture the despairing thought, that feeling of not having any hope left, and if we do not examine when that thought, feeling, comes to us, in the light of Scripture then before you know it, it takes over and multiplies, with other thoughts that seem to cover the mind like a dense fog descending and enveloping you to where you can’t think accurately, you can become double-minded, without hope, for despair does not have you focus on the God of hope but to turn your back on Him, His Word. And instead of stability, emotional instability becomes the norm. ” But God…”
Take Hope and comfort in HIS SOVEREIGNTY, He rules and overrules. He is in charge and has the ability, wisdom, and loving heart to “CAUSE All things to work together for good”…YOUR Good! {Read Romans 8:28}. When you think you have messed up, sinned so bad, that the difficulties are so great the distresses so painful, overwhelming, and you see no light at the end of the tunnel, despair that seeks to emotionally and spiritually paralyze and hinder you from functioning with clarity of thought,..
Preach Romans 8:28 to yourself, declare His truth to your mind…
Rebel and Reject despair by Replacing it with Truth!
Keep your thoughts focussed on GOD, But how? By reading, hearing, and meditating on His Word as the Psalmist says “night and day,” in other words consistently as Psalm 1:2 says. And applying it to your life.
Meditating on His Word, His Promises, His character, over and over as despair seeks to seep in to dishearten and separate your thinking from the God of ALL THINGS, through having you relate the situation to yourself, knowing you neither have the resources in and of yourself. The temptation at times is a fierce battle for your mind seeking to tempt to dislodge you from trusting Him.
REMEMBER THE TEMPTATION HAS NO POWER OVER YOU TO SUBMIT TO APART FROM THE POWER YOU GIVE IT.
FOUR PROVISIONS FOR YOU IN THE FIGHT OF FAITH;
That’s right, you do not have to yield to despair, or the temptation to displace and even forget Him by bombarding your mind with thoughts of hopelessness, “But God…” has not left you to fight this battle of your faith on your own,…
1.- THE SPIRIT OF GOD; He has gifted you the Holy Spirit within to empower, remind and strengthen you in the times of temptation to succumb to despair. {Read Phil 2:13; 1 Cor 10:13}.
2. -THE PROMISES OF GOD; He has given you “precious and magnificent promises “to encourage you.-{Read 2 Peter 1:3-4}. But these promises have to be applied. It is like having a fortune in your bank account and sitting on the street, stressing over food, and failing to use the resources you have in your name in your bank account. His Word and promises are gifted for you to use and not to spiritually starve, but you and I have to APPLY them to our situation! APPLY THE PROMISES!
3. -ACCESS TO GOD- PRAYER; He has also given you access to His Throne to call on to receive help in time of need. The temptation to despair is a good time to “call a Friend!” Call upon the LORD in the day of trouble. He has given you the gift of Prayer where He always listens to you.-{Read.1 Peter 3:12}.
4.- THE PEOPLE OF GOD; And also the people of God to come alongside you and “encourage the disheartened”-{Read 1 Thessalonians 5:14}. Paul wrote in Romans 15 :14 concerning the believers, “I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another.” But note in those times of yielding to despair what is it we often do a little like Elijah? We separate ourselves from the people of God- which is going the wrong way, instead of walking away from we should be walking toward them.
So FOUR provisions for you and me in times when tempted to despair are the Word of God; The Spirit of God; Prayer to God; and the People of God! So though you may “feel” hopeless, it is not so. You have four resources to help you.
- But, what you may ask if you already have yielded to the evil one’s attacks of despair? Good news, indeed GOD NEWS, What does the verse say? God causes how many things to work for good? “ALL THINGS.” So start afresh look to Him by faith and speak His Word to yourself over and over pondering each word and do you know that one reason God has given you the Scriptures is to”encourage you!” -{Read Romans 15:4-5}. He is your Hope, for “GOD CAUSES all things to work together for Good!”
“Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!”-{Psalm 43:5}.
Note the Psalmist does not say- Stop being discouraged, for that doesn’t help, it is only half the solution,.,- recognizing it… but not stopping there. You HAVE A “BUT GOD…” WHO CARES AND EMPOWERS YOU? He says to replace the despair… with “Hope in God”
He says to replace it with “Hope in God” and then expands on that by speaking to himself asking him why is he discouraged, sad, what is the source the root of it, and then turns immediately to the answer, “Hope in God!” God’s Hope which speaks of certainty. Hope in the certainty of God Himself! And He elaborates, Hope in the certainty of Him who is his personal Savior and his God! He changes focus onto God! And so must we!
“Hope” so soften means uncertainty to us, we are not sure if it will or won’t happen, But God’s Hope is a certainty, assurance, a definite, He is the God of HOPE. And “Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our heart through the Holy Spirit who has been gifted to us!-{Read Romans 5:5; 15:13, }
Take your time and Please, RE-READ THE ABOVE VERSES AND note THE “GOOD,” GOD WORKS OUT IN EACH VERSE…and Thank Him for it. It is fuel for your faith, Truth to THINK RIGHT about Him, and fuel for you to give Him thanks. So, don’t succumb to despair, for God IS working “all things” together for your good and His fame, and honor, Because He can… Because He Does… Because He Promises…Because He continually Loves you. And be assured He keeps all of His promises… and this is for…you… and maybe someone you know Whom you can share with who needs some encouragement!
Time to Pause, Consider, and…“Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! His faithful love endures forever.”-{Psalm 107:1}