Faith in the Good
“Just as courage is faith in good, so discouragement is faith in evil, while courage opens the door to good, discouragement opens it to evil.” -Hannah Whitall SmithThis argument by Smith makes simple what I so often complicate. I am prone to discouragement. Before I get out of bed I can be defeated in the mental overview of what God has orchestrated in my life. Would I call that behavior evil? No. Instead, I might argue about temperament and personality. But I know from experience, it leads to unbelief. I would be right. And so would she.
The Dangers of Discouragement
"Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God." -Hebrews 3:12 (ESV)Discouragement is a dangerous beast. Some of us are more prone to tangle with it than others. It is a constant visitor to my front door, the back door and coming up through the air vents uninvited. It feels like a crushing weight. Courage depleting. Too often, any belief I possessed in the Good goes missing like a batch of homemade brownies at my house.
Faith in the Good
Before long, I lose sight of the promises of a Good God. Attainment of what I thought He spoke over my life and mission seems like something I made up. Faith in the Good is gone before I’ve planted a foot on the floor.What do you do when discouragement attempts to steal what faith you possess to believe God? I have been here enough to know. Recognize the pattern as a lie.
How Much More!
"How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God." -Hebrews 9:14 (ESV)All that negativity going on inside of you is the old you, put to death by the blood of Jesus Christ. Purified so that you and I can serve the living God as He intends. No limitations. Not even mental ones you place on yourself.Let the Truth defeat the lies you and I are so prone to ponder. Because this, my friend, is an exercise in courage-building. Courage is indeed, faith in the Good.
Continued Encouragement
Did you enjoy today's Daily Delight? Find more encouragement from Cheri here!Want more? Check out The Daughter of Delight Podcast here!
Cheri Strange encourages women to live lives that yearn for God in all that they do. Founder of SheYearns Ministries to that end, Cheri engages women in stirring more desire for God into their everyday lives, from the theological to the practical get-the-day-done spectrum. She is also a YouVersion content partner, holds a Ph.D., is a requested conference speaker, and an award-winning author, releasing her newest book early 2022.