PHILIPPIANS we will thereby become ineffec tive and unproductive, hindered in our ministry for the Lord. Too often do we fail to grasp the wisdom of Cod's divine plan for our lives. Sometimes the Lord has to step in and show us in a more forceable manner His perfect will. How do discouraged people act? Most obvious are the feelings of sadness, unhappiness, frustration, and disappointment. There may be tears and crying, accompanied sometimes by worry and anxiety about the future. When the chil dren of Israel were discouraged they reacted in high criticism and complaining. It is always easier to blame someone else than to accept responsibility where it belongs. The greatest danger, of course, comes in a conscious or unconscious point of blaming God for our condition. This reveals the depth of our folly. Another look at the bemoaning Israelites reveals that they felt a deep sense of self-pity. Too many of us seem to delight in wallowing in our problems. Such apathy leads to slowing down and even stop ping our normal activities. After leaving bondage in Egypt, the chosen people wanted to quit and die in the wilderness. Let us be careful. Discouragement is one of the sharpest tools the devil has to get the believer to give up the work of the Lord. This is why, with Paul, we need to strive to be spir itually mature (Philippians 3:15). As we study the Bible, the ulti mate goal and desire on our part should be to become more like the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul had this as his avowed purpose in "knowing the power of Christ's resurrection, the fellowship of His sufferings, and through maturity to be made
conformable unto the death of the Saviour. He knew that he had not yet reached this level spiritually but he constantly was striving for it. One way the devil tries to keep us from spiritual growth is discour agement. Such times of depression can come because of frustration in not being able to accomplish cer tain things. The Apostle himself must have been discouraged many times as the devil attacked him in prison. He knew his only strength was in the Lord. He was willing to let the Holy Spirit work in his life. There are at least six different ways to deal with discouragement. First of all we should recognize and accept the fact that all of us get discouraged at times. This is part of being human. He who con trols the universe and causes or permits discouraging situations to arise, knows what He is doing and why He is doing it. Who can com prehend God's plan with our finite understanding and limited per spective. In His mercy, the Lord has given some hints as to why such problems come into our lives. Our difficulties should always bring glory to God. This is why Lazarus was allowed to die (John 11:4). The problems should also bring spiritual growth with greater pa tience, and more humility in our lives. Discipline can be an expres sion of our Saviour's love (Hebrews 12:6). In any case we are to accept what we cannot understand (Ro mans 11:33). A second healthy reaction to dis couragement is to find renewed dependence upon the Lord (Psalm 42:5). Like Job, in the midst of trials and discouragements, we must learn to say, "Though He slay me,
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