Why Discernment Is The Weapon Of Choice Against Discouragement

 

Have you ever noticed how sneaky discouragement can be? This emotion can creep its way into our lives without us realizing how or why it arrived.

It is subtle.

It can be lingering.

And if we’re honest, debilitating.

It is like a fog that rolls in, clouding out all the clarity of life, the beauty and the brightness that lifts our spirit. 

I find some people are prone to its effect and some are not. Unfortunately, I am one of them. But the good news is, I have learned an effective weapon that helps me clear the fog that discouragement can bring.

Reading from Nehemiah 5-6, I see how easily it would have been for Nehemiah to fall victim to discouragement as he attempted to rally the Jews to rebuild the walls around Jersulem. It appeared very intentional and purposeful that this was the goal. I recognize that discouragement is a tool often used with expert precision by the enemy of our faith, meant to derail the plans of God by causing the people of God to give up.

Where I may not observe the scheme of the devil in my own life soon enough, I can see it more readily in the lives of those portrayed on the pages of my Bible. So reading the story of Nehemiah, I can see plainly how others conspired against the Jews to dissuade them from their God-given purpose. Nevertheless, Nehemiah seems to handle these temptations skillfully.

This makes me take notice.

I want to understand how he was able to persevere through the discouragement his enemies sought to use against him, with the intention of bringing  his purpose to an end. What was key to his achievement?

A pattern begins to emerge in the way he successfully navigates through each attempt of discouragement. Nehemiah is so sure of his purpose from God, when anything appears to contradict or interfere with it, he is immediately able to stand firm against it.

Discernment is used to identify, and then nullify, the scheme being used against him. 

It is as if Nehemiah sees the trap for what it is, thereby averting the potential threat to the completion of God’s goal for him. He is able to see what is from God and just as importantly, what is not! Discernment was critical to know what to pay attention to and what to ignore.

In each instance, Nehemiah discerned how best to respond.

1. When confronted with the complaints from his fellow countrymen, he discerned to respond with action to right the wrongs in Nehemiah 5:1-13. As some of the Jews were enslaving other Jews as they fell on hard times, Nehemiah called them into account. Even though this was not the primary reason for him being sent there, he recognized his responsibility.  Upholding God’s commands was always worth responding to so that His Word was obeyed and His name revered.
2. When confronted with the complaints and tricks from Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem in Nehemiah 6:1-9, he chose  to ignore them and carry on with the work on the wall. He paid no heed to their accusations, knowing they were not of God. He did not try to vindicate his intentions or reputation. He just ignored their interference and continued on with what God had called him to do.
3. When confronted with threats upon his life from a false prophet in Nehemiah 6:10-13, he chose to ignore the intimidation, knowing it would have been a sin to be discouraged from completing the task of which God had given him. Even when this prophet supposedly inferred this warning was from God, Nehemiah discerned it was not.

Whether interruption, accusation or intimidation, discernment was needed to know how to process and respond as God directed. Not all interference with his main objective was to be heeded or ignored. Nehemiah needed discernment to know the best course of action to take. This afforded him the ability to accurately process what was directed at him so that he was not discouraged or dissuaded from his endeavor.

His steadfastness had a profound effect. It says in Nehemiah 6:15-16,

So the wall was completed……in fifty-two days. When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God. 

What a testimony?! What a witness?! Nehemiah remaining strong against discouragement and leading the Jews in their work resulted in the fame of God among the other nations! Evidently, there is much more at stake for God’s people not giving way to discouragement than realized.

All the “noise” in life can have an effect on us, sending us into a downward spiral of negativity. But when we use discernment to validate what should be heeded or ignored, then we are able to stay focused on what God purposes for us. The devil wants nothing better than to tempt us away from the goal we are called to devote our heart and time to achieve. Discernment filters out the nonsense and keeps the God-sense, enabling us to triumph over self-defeating negativity.

Just because someone says something to us doesn’t mean we are to “receive” it. Every comment or accusation is not necessarily from God or for our benefit. If we take such matters to the Lord,  asking for discernment on their legitimacy, then we are being attentive to what He has for us while still being  viligant against discouragement that is intended to undermine our effectiveness for the kingdom of God. By knowing the difference from what is of God or not of God, the fog of negativity is cleared and our confidence and enthusiasm can return.

Nehemiah understood the schemes being used against him. Do you?

Incidently, this is my 100th post.

To His grace and glory……

Gretchen