Dealing With Discouragement and Grief

I received some news I didn’t want to hear about someone I love. It left me disappointed, worried, and filled with sadness. Much of the despondency I felt was due to the fact that the news was about a situation that had been wished for and prayed for but didn’t turn out like I had hoped.

But as I pondered scripture that morning, God led me to Psalm 22; a Psalm of Suffering. And as I read Psalm 22, verses 3-5 stood out to me as God led me to the way to deal with times of discouragement and grief. 

Psalm 22:3-5 (NLT)

“Yet you are holy,

    enthroned on the praises of Israel.

Our ancestors trusted in you,

    and you rescued them.

They cried out to you and were saved.

    They trusted in you and were never disgraced.”

• “Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.” In times of discouragement and grief, remember the character of God. While the writer of the Psalm is suffering, he is still able to say, “Yet”, because he knows God. He knows God’s character. He knows God is perfect and good. He is wise and He is faithful. And, He never changes, even when our situations and circumstances do. 

Malachi 3:6 (NLT)

 “I am the Lord, and I do not change.”

Psalm 119:90 (NLT)

“Your faithfulness extends to every generation,

    as enduring as the earth you created.”

• “Our ancestors trusted in you and you rescued them.”. The writer knew God’s character because he had experienced God’s help in the past. In times of sorrow and difficulty, Look back. Remember how God has been faithful to you in the past. Remember the loved he has shown you and the way He has provided for you. Remember the prayers that He has answered and the guidance He has given you. 

Psalm 77:11 (ESV)

“I will remember the deeds of the Lord;

    yes, I will remember your wonders of old.”

Isaiah 43:19 (NIV)

“See, I am doing a new thing!

    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the wilderness.”

    and streams in the wasteland.”

• “They cried out to you and were saved.” God invites us to come to him in our sadness. We are assured he is ready to hear our prayers. He hears our cries and knows our tears. We are to go to His throne where we are promised we will find mercy and grace. 

Psalm 34:17 (NIV)

“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;

    he delivers them from all their troubles.”

Hebrews 4:16 (NIV)

“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

• “They trusted in you and were never disgraced.:” God can be and is worthy to be, trusted. He is the one who can set us free from the heartache of this sinful world. We can trust him to help us. We can trust him to rescue us and as we trust Him we will never be disappointed. 

Exodus 15:2 (CSB)

“The Lord is my strength and my song;

he has become my salvation.

This is my God, and I will praise him,

my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”

Our journey through life is not always simple or easy and it can be filled with twists and turns that leave us bumped and bruised, heartbroken and discouraged. But on the journey, one thing is certain – God is still God and He is still on His throne. The Psalmist knew these truths and in his suffering was able to lift his eyes upward and praise his God, and find help in his time of need. When the heart is heavy, look up with gratitude to the ONE who is faithful and never disappoints! Then you will be able to proclaim “yet I will praise Him.”

To Ponder:

What troubles you today?

How have you seen God’s faithfulness to you in the past?

How has God “rescued” you from a time of discouragement and disappointment?

Prayer: Lord, when I am discouraged and filled with worry and grief, help me to remember your faithfulness in the past, rely on your help in the present, and trust your mercy and grace for my future.

© 2019 Robin R King