Introduction
When things go well, our spirits soar high, and we are filled with hope and optimism.
But when we scrape the bottom in discouragement, we feel disillusioned and exposed. We usually hide the hurt from others beneath a public image of superficiality and a religious cliche or two. Yet deep on the inside, we struggle to maintain hope for the rough winds that jerk our sails, and we are afraid of what is to come.
The Apostle Paul had to deal with such times. He said, "We despaired even of life"
(2 Corinthians 1:8). While in light of achieving great things for God, he fell into the depth of sudden despair. Lonely, weary and emotionally drained, this powerful strong Christian leader hit the bottom. And such low times are definitely not limited to someone like this saint of old.
But discouragement is not unbeatable. In fact, God's Word is filled with encouragement for us. It is important that we cling to these words when we feel crushed by what we are going through.
My prayer is that this booklet will point you toward these places of hope. May it help you to look up when your heart is heavy and to see Christ, our only answer.