How To Encourage Yourself In The Lord

The Bible says of King David, "David encouraged himself in the Lord" (1 Samuel 30:6). You get discouraged; encourage yourself in the Lord. How are you to encourage yourself in the Lord? Let me tell you how to encourage yourself in the Lord.

1.  Think of God's Goodness in the Past

If you're discouraged, just think of all that God has done for you. Count your many blessings. See how faithful God has been. Psychologists tell us that gratefulness is one of the healthiest emotions that you can possibly have. It's almost impossible to be grateful and discouraged at the same time. Count your many blessings. Remember God's goodness in the past.

2.  Think of God's Closeness in the Present

And then, remember God's closeness in the present. You're in the midst of a problem—remember the Lord. Is your problem greater than God? Our Lord says, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). And, I want you to know, friend, if you're discouraged right now, God has been good to you in the past, and He is with you, right now. Remember the Lord. 

3.  Think of God's Faithfulness in the Future

And then, think not only of His goodness in the past, and His closeness in the present, but think of His faithfulness in the future. He said, "I'll never leave you. I'll never forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). And, He says, "You can do all things through Christ who will strengthen you" (Philippians 4:13). Encourage yourself in the Lord. Do you know what fear is? Let me tell you what fear is: Fear is forgetting God. That's all it is. It's just forgetting God. He says, "Don't be afraid. Remember the Lord" (Nehemiah 4:14).

Let me give you some verses. 2 Timothy 1:7: "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7). Psalm 27:1: "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalm 27:1).

Fatigue—renew your strength. Frustration—refocus your strategy. Fear—remember the Lord. I'm telling you, if you're afraid, it's because you've taken your eyes off of the Lord. Nehemiah said, "We serve a great God." 

Robert Louis Stevenson told a story—I read it many, many years ago—about some passengers who were on a ship. It looked like the ship may be going down. It was a tumultuous storm, and the passengers were below. And, they were whispering one to another, "Will we go down? Are we safe?" One of the passengers said, "I've just got to find out," and he made his way across those heaving decks, and up to the pilot house, where the pilot of that ship was there, with his hand on the wheel. And, he looked at him. The pilot knew he was afraid, and just turned and smiled at him. The man didn't say a word, but he just went back below, and he said, "We're going be all right." He said, "I've seen the face of the pilot, and he smiled at me." What you need to do is to see the face of God. You need to find the smile of God. And, I can tell you, friend, that He has sailed rougher seas than the one that you're in, right now.

Corrie ten Boom said this: "Look at the world—you'll be distressed. Look within—you'll be depressed. Look at Christ—you'll be at rest." Remember the Lord.