The Epidemic Of Discouragement

Good morning and welcome to Our Daily Walk.

Audio version at http://tinyurl.com/3842x9

Much has been done in recent years to protect our society from epidemics. Great medicines have been developed, vaccines have been deployed and plans are all in place in case any health threats come our way. But much worse than the physical devastation of the bird flu or some other illness is the destruction that is brought by another epidemic—discouragement.

Aubrey Johnson, in his excellent book, The Barnabas Factor, has the following to say about discouragement.

“Discouragement is a communicable disease more infectious than the flu. Negativity is an airborne ailment transmitted from person to person through words, looks and social contacts. Criticism spreads from one discouraging relationship to another until it reaches epidemic proportions. The outbreak can engulf families, businesses, schools, churches and entire communities.” (page 68)

What is the cure for such an epidemic? Encouragement. With encouragement one can overcome all of the negatives generated from an environment of discouragement. How? By starting to see oneself as an agent of encouragement.

Things need to be fixed. Actions need to be corrected. Wrongs need to be righted. But instead of viewing the world as a victim, encouragers view the world as those who are here on God’s behalf to help make things right. Encouragers know that God wants us to live with more blessings and fewer problems. Encouragers know that with God’s help and with hope in God, one can overcome any obstacle in life.

One of the great lessons about the epidemic of discouragement and negative thinking is found in the account of the twelve spies sent into the Promised Land. We find this reading in Numbers 13:26-33.

Now they departed and came back to Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. Then they told him, and said: “We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan.”

Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”

But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.” And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”

Although Joshua and Caleb had faith in God and wanted to claim what He had promised, the other ten spies decided to focus on the negative. That thinking caused them to infect the entire people with a sense of hopeless doom.

If only they had listened to the two who trusted in God! Then they would not have wandered in the wilderness for 40 more years. Then they would have all shared in the blessing instead of dying in the wilderness. Then they could have been a positive example to others instead of being a legacy to negativity.

Yes, friends, there is a dangerous disease that is reaching epidemic levels. Discouragement is sure to conquer unless proper precautions are taken. Arm yourselves with love, hope, forgiveness and surround yourselves with grace, protection and love from God.

On Our Daily Walk today, may we learn to be positive encouragers for everyone we encounter. May we look to lift burdens, provide solutions, right wrongs and lift the spirits of everyone we know.

Our thought for the day: “A friend will strengthen you with his prayers, bless you with his love and encourage you with his hope.”

May God bless you on your daily walk.

© Our Daily Walk, Mike Baker, 2007. Permission is granted to copy these articles provided they are not sold and the author's name and copyright are included.