Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
Discouragement is something that we all face at some point in our lives. We try something, fail, and get discouraged. Others fail us; we get discouraged. Unexpected illnesses, natural disasters, financial mishaps, global crises can all lead us to discouragement.
In response to discouragement, some people fall into despair. They collapse under the weight of shame. They allow their grief to crush their spirit or resign themselves to their dismal fate. They give up. For the believer, this is the trap of unbelief.
Others answer discouragement by doubling down and working harder. They look for solutions. "I can fix it!" is their cry. They rally under pressure; they consume self-help books and seek out guidance on how they can improve themselves or their situation. And while self-sufficiency seems laudable from a distance, those who believe in Christ know that it, too, is a snare.
The biblical answer to discouragement, dear friend, is found in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed…” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9). He then goes on to explain the reason for their resilience and hope, “always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.” (2 Corinthians 4:10-11).
Do you see it? As believers, we carry around the death of Christ in our hearts so that His life will be manifested in us. We remember His death on the cross to give us eternal life, and this gives us hope that He will sustain us in our temporary life. We understand that the worst moment in history—the crucifixion of the Son of God—is the most significant, loving, life-saving moment of all time, and this gives us hope that our worst moment (whatever it is) will also be made beautiful in God's time. Jesus endured the cross but rose again three days later. As believers, we believe in this resurrection not only for Christ, not only for our future but also for today amid our current circumstances.