Every news cycle seems to bring more alarming news into our homes and our mindset. What should be your response to these alarming images, and what do you do when you find yourself exiting your good spiritual choices and getting mired in worldly quicksand?
Over this past month, have you found yourself in a place of “Why Bother,” “There’s Nothing I Can Do,” “It seems the whole world has lost its mind,” or something like this; “Where are the leaders of these people, countries? Have they all lost their moral center?” To speak plainly, “YES.”
Let’s talk about this for a moment from a different perspective.
There is a predictable cycle when it appears a person, a people, or even a nation “becomes unhinged.” See if the cycle below rings a bell with you the last time you lost it.
We Complain – Everyone complains from time to time when we are frustrated – that’s normal. However, every time you stub your toe, you begin to complain, and the complaining covers every aspect of your life that is not normal. Who likes to listen to the constant complainer in the family? No One!
We lash out – As our spiral continues, it permeates every area of our lives, and our temper goes into overdrive, and we just attack everyone, every situation, and every outcome in our lives. Is this productive – NO! We give up – Once we get to this place, we may take a moment to assess the individual or situation and turn and walk away. “I can’t do anything about this” is the usual phrase you will hear.
We quit – Then, once we see all is lost, we simply quit. We no longer bother to entertain anything positive or negative. We turn a blind eye. Essentially, we just quit.
These four behaviors equal a “Disastrous Lifestyle.”
To defeat discouragement, we must:
- Stand Firm – When we stand firm, we have two great results:
-
- We have a greater IMPACT
- We have more INFLUENCE
- Stick Together – When we stick together [as in the story of three strands of rope that cannot be easily broken], we can fight as a team. Keep encouraging each other. Read your Bible, stay connected with like-minded people. See the good vs the negative.
- Stay Together – When we decide to stay in our homes and not venture out into society again [as was the case for home confinement during the 2020 COVID outbreak], we become isolationists. This is the best way to “Destroy” your life! The cure is to stay together with others who want to make a positive impact, and you will all be able to influence others around you, in your community, and in the world.
Why is this so important?
Discouragement proceeds to Destruction.
Think about that: Discouragement proceeds Destruction!
Discouragement is like quicksand.
Discouragement is an anesthetic Satan uses before he reaches in and pulls out your heart!
Courage is the antidote! Where do we find courage? We find courage in staying in the word and praying God’s promises. We find courage by putting on the
Armour of God each morning. We find courage by keeping our vertical relationship with God intact no matter what is going on around us or to us.
My name is Janice Bastani, and I am a professional coach. In 2024, I am accepting new clients, and I have limited availability. If you are interested in becoming a client in 2024, please email me at janice@janicebastanicoaching.com