As we go through life's trials and tribulations, we can easily fall prey to discouragement.
When you find yourself focusing inward—wrapped up in your own troubles—you can fight back by turning your eyes upward to God and outward toward your neighbor. We are commanded to love God and to love our neighbor (Matthew 22:36-40).
We love God because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). God chose to love us when we were still His enemies (Romans 5:8). It is God's pleasure to give us the Kingdom (Luke 12:32). His love for us is not conditioned on our performance. It is not based on how we feel about ourselves. God simply chooses to love us.
He has promised that He will never leave us (Hebrews 13:5) and that He will finish the work He has started in us (Philippians 1:6). When you are feeling discouraged, think about God's promises, His Kingdom and the love He chooses to have toward all of us. Look upward!
In 1 Corinthians 10:13 Paul reassures us that the trials we face are not unique, and that God will see us through them. The fact that so many other people face similar issues means that there are people out there who will understand our trials—and it means that God can use our experience to help others.
We can fight the inward focus of discouragement by reaching out to others—looking outward. Learning how to comfort others is part of the purpose of trials:
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God" (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
Focus on the positive. Focus on God's love, God's Kingdom and the needs of God's people.
"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things" (Philippians 4:8).
