You go about your life from day-to-day. Most of your time is filled with good days, maybe even, super days. The truth be told, there are too many days you fall short of pleasing Christ. You try hard. You spend time in daily prayer. You are faithful with your devotions. Out of nowhere your fleshly desires arise and obedience to Christ suffers.
When all of this occurs, you tend to get discouraged. After sinning, you should feel some remorse for your actions. That, actually, is a good sign. It brings you back into a good relationship with Christ. It is at those times that you feel isolated from the Lord over a long period of time, that discouragement just gets worse and worse. C. S. Lewis has some wise words to say about discouragement: “If Satan’s arsenal of weapons were restricted to a single one, it would be discouragement.” Ouch! That emotion happens all too frequently in your life, with devasting results.
In the closing verses in 1 Corinthians, Scripture reminds the Corinthians, and you and me, to be mindful of avoiding discouragement. To accomplish this, it says, “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13, NKJV). First off, you are to watch. In other words, be cautious. That sin of discouragement is around the next corner. Be watchful. To overcome that sin, have faith in the Lord Christ. Faith and discouragement cannot be accomplished at the same time. Also, be brave and courageous.
That familiar, deadly sin of discouragement must be attacked. Left uncontrolled, it will reduce you to an emotional wreck. So, be watchful as this sin can strike at any
