1. The Devil's Potluck

The thing about being discouraged is that once you are down it becomes easier and easier to think of things to be discouraged about. When you feel like you are already at the end of your energy and your hope for the future, that is when things really start coming to mind like the state of the floor in the back seat of your car, or how your pants are snugger than you like them to be, or that dinner really is happening again tonight - even though you made no plans and have no solutions. 

This makes a great time to start thinking about times people let you down or trips you never got to go on. You can start unpacking all of your recent surprising symptoms. And the thing is, once you get going you can find that you are positively gifted at discouraging yourself! You have access to all the most tender topics, and the most fraught memories, and all your disappointed hopes.

The world, the flesh, and the devil will all pitch in to help you be more discouraged. This is a potluck that the opposition to your soul would love you to come to - bottomless envy casseroles in zipper cases, coolers full of self pitying beverages, and bags of accusation chips ready to pop open and be thrown down without discretion leaving only sad greasy fingers behind.

It is for this reason that you and every other Christian woman needs to be diligent in fighting discouragement. Don’t respond to the Devil’s invitation - he has the crock pot plugged in and would love for the aroma of what he is cooking to permeate all of your work. He would love for you to sink into a bean bag at his place and unload all the details about why things are so bad for you right now. 

But of course, I can’t just say you ought fight discouragement and walk away like the job is done. How do you practically fight against those sorts of temptations in your regular life? 

You do it by fixing your eyes on Jesus, and walking by faith towards Him. You do it by laying aside the sin that is making this walk more difficult than it has to be. Confess all the things that are sinful and still with you. That envy about the vacation, that discontent with the body you have been given, that anger about having to do a job over and over again. Whenever you are feeling heavy it is a good idea to check that you aren’t dragging a bunch of weight around with you in your purse. Repent of it! The Lord sees it all, and if it does not glorify Him, He does not want you carrying that around. 

Psalm 61:2 is one of my favorite verses 

From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

The Devil’s potluck is a nasty downhill affair. There is nothing there that will make you feel better, but it sure is easy to get to. All you have to do is fall down and not get up, open your phone and start mindlessly scrolling, or allow a little self pity to bloom in your life. It can be done very passively with almost no effort.

But the feast of the Lord is an uphill affair - one to which every Christian is carried on the righteousness of Christ. He is your refuge, He is your rest. He is your invitation, and He is your only means of attending. Because of His kindness to you and His great love for you, you can be taken safely to a rock that is much higher than you are. 

So when you feel yourself becoming discouraged, cry out! Cry out to the Lord to show you what to lay down. Cry out to the Lord to take you to His high ground. He is faithful, and He will always answer!

Heavenly Father, I ask that this week you give each one of us eyes to see the joy and the glory of being in fellowship with you. Make us quick to repent, quick to laugh, quick to thank You for all your mercies poured out on us with such abundance. Bring us Lord to the higher ground and keep us from gazing inward instead of at the glory before us. 

In Jesus name, Amen