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Overcoming Discouragement

Life Principle 20: Disappointments are inevitable, discouragement is a choice.

The Lord has a unique plan for your life—one that does not change according to unexpected circumstances. When you confront a situation that does not line up with your understanding of how God wants your life to proceed, you must stop and look to Him for direction. Sometimes He allows disappointments to occur so you will learn to rely on Him more fully—to walk by faith and not by sight. But never forget this: While disappointments are inevitable, discouragement is a choice. You should never allow the challenges that arise to steal your enthusiasm or confidence in Him.

In the daily disappointments that threaten to consume your emotional resources and deflect your attention away from the Lord, you have real hope and a real choice for joy and abundant living in Christ. Circumstances don’t control you; Jesus does. You never have to be the victim of your feelings. You can choose to look to God, listen, learn, and move ahead. As you do, the wounded, dejected places in your heart and the scars of old disappointments will melt away in God’s restoring love.

God does have blessings for you—more than you can imagine. Let go of disappointments and the fear of hoping and trusting again. God holds your future in His hands, and you will never lose by looking forward to what He has in store.