Discouragement. One word that evokes so many emotions – one of failure, one of questioning, one that convinces you that your work is never enough. New Christian. Young Christian. Doesn’t matter. Discouragement will find you sooner or later.
You would think someone starting her 24th year teaching would be grounded and confident. Truth be told, I have struggled with discouragement more in my career than probably anyone else. Most of those times, there was no reason to be discouraged. Satan used my weakness to convince me my work was never good enough. One year, I felt so discouraged that I went and got certified to be a librarian. I even had an interview, in another school district, lined up but canceled the night before because I realized I was acting on emotion and not reason. Another time, Satan used my weakness to waste hours searching for other public sector jobs (FYI…I am too invested in the public retirement system to transition out). I have allowed Satan to convince me that students just do not care, no matter how much time I have spent preparing them. Honestly, I allowed our “culture of recognition” to convince me that my worth (as a teacher) was tied to recognition. I am thankful that through most of these times (these lows of my career), God was faithful in bringing back to His purpose in my life.
There are many reasons teachers may face discouragement: changes in school environment, changes in school policy, changes in technology (yes, I started teaching before cell phone), changes in leadership, changes in content, changes in assessments. There is an endless list of “STUFF” that can lead anyone to be discouraged.
This past week, I began to look at what the Bible says about discouragement and a Biblical viewpoint of discouragement. Through this search, not only did I dive deeper in Haggai, a minor prophet that I have never really spent time in, but also reading through many articles. One person stated that many times, the loss of some source of security and peace will leave our hearts open to discouragement. Nothing I write is solely mine, but I hope it brings you comfort as it brought (and brings) me.
How to be encouraged when Satan tempts you with discouragement:
- Remember God’s sovereignty! I was reminded of Isaiah 55:9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” We need to give up our desire to try and understand our circumstances (maybe you didn’t get a position, a planning block, an award, a recognition, etc.). We need to stop asking the WHYS and choose to trust God. We may not understand all the intricate parts of God’s plan for us but He does!
- Remember success isn’t measured by what we achieve! 1 Samuel 16:7 says, “But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” We have to stop comparing ourselves with others. A fairly consistent application of Haggai I read was not being occupied by what appears on the surface; look for ways that God is working that we can’t visibly see. Think about it…how many times has a student come back to you (possibly years later) and told you how much you made a difference in his/her life? And probably when you were impacting that life, you were questioning your purpose in your job!
- Remember God’s faithfulness! Psalm 18 is an excellent Psalm to read and to meditate on when we feel discouraged. David wrote this Psalm the day the Lord delivered him from the hands of his enemies and from Saul. Nahum 1:7 “The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows those who take refuge in Him.”
- Remember your temporal life is not your eternal life! 2 Corinthians 4:18 says, “as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient (temporal), but the things that are unseen are eternal.” Many times, we face discouragement because we think the things of this world will bring us peace and happiness. Let us remember Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
- Remember to give thanks! 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” I can be the first to say that I rarely give thanks for the lows in my career. Remember what God has done for you.
- Remember to daily pray God’s Word. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Have you ever really, truly thought about the amount of discouragement in the Old Testament (not to mention the New Testament)? From Joshua and Elijah to Job and Jeremiah, we have a plethora of examples to look to for encouragement. I leave you with three verses – one from Joshua and two from Haggai.
Joshua 1:9 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Haggai 1:13 “…I am with you…”
Haggai 2:4-5 “Yet now, be strong…be strong…work, for I am with you, declares the LORD of hosts.”
