“In the Christian life, discouragement comes in many forms. There is discouragement when it seems our prayers are not answered; when we work with honesty and integrity, but see others, who cut corners, prosper and advance; when we endure personal separation and loss, and when we need compassion and affirmation, and they are not to be found.” (Rev. Andrew J. Demotses)
“Despair makes us feel isolated and distant from God, but this is precisely when we need God most. Despair over sin should not lead to self-pity, causing us to think more about ourselves than God. Instead, it should lead to confession and then to God’s mercy, forgiveness, and redemption. When we feel overwhelmed by a problem, feeling sorry for ourselves will only increase feelings of hopelessness; but crying out to God will turn our attention to the only One who can really help.” (Life Application Study Bible, Psalms 130:1-2)
“God’s divine power is at work trying to give us what we are missing.…no matter how trapped you feel, your freedom in Christ is more powerful. No matter how futureless you feel, your future in God is limitless. And no matter how big the dead end sign is at the end of the street, with Christ all things are possible.” (Lillian Daniel)
“Both human faith and divine action are required for healing…God knows our needs and encourages us to seek Him for healing.” (Dynamis 11/9/2014)
“…the Lord encourages us to grow in Him.” (Dynamis 7/17/2014) “The Bible never belittles human disappointment, but it does add one key word: temporary. What we feel now, we will not always feel." (Philip Yancey)
“Sometimes we find ourselves so caught up in what we want or think we need, we become despondent when we face disappointment or loss. We get so caught up in reaching our goals, we fail because we have not sought out what God planned for us.” (Abbott Tryphon)
“We should speak with God. We should present our problems to Jesus. We should set in front of Him our hard times and our disappointments. We should place our plans, worries, and desires in His hands.” (Archbishop Demetrios of America)
“We will enter into seasons of disappointment. But waiting for us there is a choice that determines if this season will make or break us, empty or empower us…Disappointment can take our breath away, but in due time and at the right time, God will restore our breath, redirect us, and put wind in our sails.” (Susie Larson)
“The cross stands as the final symbol that no evil exists that God cannot turn into a blessing. He is the living Alchemist who can take the dregs from the slag-heaps of life—disappointment, frustration, sorrow, disease, death, economic loss, heartache—and transform the dregs into gold.” (Catherine Marshall)
"Discouragement: we’ve all been there. We’ve all faced it. We know how it feels and how paralyzing it can be. The only people who avoid discouragement are people who never attempt to do anything hard/great in this world." (Father Anthony Messeh)
“.....we still have plenty of opportunities to be discouraged—times of indecision, financial burdens, family conflict, church conflict, or the loss of our jobs. How we act in such situations will reflect what we believe...look for ways to demonstrate your faith even in bad situations. Whether or not the situation improves, your faith will grow stronger.” (Life Application Study Bible, 2 Corinthians 6:5)
“…a non-response from God is not evidence that we are in His disfavor…Who has not offered heartfelt prayer and had no response?...A few of us have prayed so rigorously and have been denied…when God refuses our prayers, He does so graciously, assuring us that our lives and service for Him are neither wasted nor fruitless. We learn that when God denies a petition, He may still reserve another portion for us, fulfilling later the exact vision He originally awakened within us….Be assured, in the face of discouraging evidence, and let us place our heart’s desires before God. Our God is compassionate and loving.” (Dynamis 6/9/2013)
“Your spiritual pilgrimage may be lengthy, and you may face pain, discouragement, and difficulties. But remember that God isn’t just trying to keep you alive. He wants to prepare you to live for service and devotion to Him.” (Life Application Study Bible, Deuteronomy 1:1) “When moments of discouragement come and spiritual failures tend to overwhelm us, there is no better medicine than the reading of the story of this forgiving father [The Parable of the Prodigal Son]--- a symbol of our heavenly father himself. It tells us that no one escapes God’s gracious love or ever gets too far away, for this is no ordinary love; it defies all human standards.” (Rev. Andrew J. Demotses)