13. Help and Hope for Discouraging Days

Thank you for being here. How are you today? I pray you are well and are staying encouraged. Last week I was a bit overwhelmed as I witnessed many in my path who were feeling quite discouraged. I knew this had to be subject of my next episode on the podcast. So, here we are today, talking about discouragement, and how to find help and hope for the discouraging days of our real lives.

Because we all know we have them, right? So, if you're experiencing discouragement today, or have recently, I pray our time together here blesses you. And if you're living encouraged right now, may you share this episode with someone who could use some help and hope in her life today. So, let's spend a few minutes together to find encouragement for our real lives right now.

Yes, so how are you today?

How is life in your corner of this world? So often when someone asks how we are, we politely reply, "I'm fine" or "I'm good." Then to avoid any further inquiries, we quickly spin the conversation back to focus on the other person by asking the same. "How are you?" (Or, am I the only one who unintentionally does this?) Because sometimes we just can't tell the whole story or we'll end up in a puddle of tears right where we are. And some days we don't have the energy to share how we are really doing or we don't care to go into all of the details. Right?

Well, friend, I truly care about how you are. You don't need to recite the typical "I'm fine" answer here. You can answer honestly today. Now, I know you can't respond to me directly through the podcast, but if you could, how would you answer? If nothing else, answer honestly to yourself.

Part of living a real life means not all days are butterflies and rainbows.

Not all days are sunshine and roses. We know real life is a mixture of discouraging days and hope-filled days. And quite frankly, discouragement appears to be aplenty these days. Many of us are walking through tough times.

If this is you today, may it first help to acknowledge you're not the only one feeling this way. Sometimes it helps knowing others are right here with you. Not so long ago someone's negative and destructive words directed at me affected me and my life in such a damaging way. I share more about this experience in this episode, so I understand the reality of discouragement.

Discouragement is one tool the enemy of our souls likes to use against us. We'll continue this line of thinking and dig into this a little deeper in next week's episode. So stay tuned.

What do we do in the midst of discouraging days?

Well, if you're finding yourself discouraged, or have experienced a string of discouraging days, let's together seek some help and hope. Let's cling to truth and shed some light on the darkness of discouragement. So, let's find some light today.

I invite you to join me in this episode to find help and hope for discouraging days in our real lives. I even share a helpful tool that may sound a little silly! (But it helps!)

Links in this episode:

• Joshua 1:9 NIV
• Romans 15:13 AMPC
• Philippians 4:8 NIV
• Romans 8:28 VOICE
• Encouragement for Real Life Community Facebook group

Next week we will look into discouragement a little deeper and why encouragement is so important. I invite you back. In the meantime, take it one day at a time and stay encouraged. God bless you.