God’s Cure for Discouragement

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.
Psalm 136:1

Christian, do you suffer discouragement? If so, Scripture’s cure is to give thanks to the Lord. Are you burdened and distressed? Give thanks. Do you face trials as high as the sky? Give thanks.

In this verse we have the hope and encouragement we need to face any burden in life. Give thanks to the Lord. Why? For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. He is good. He is merciful. He is loving. And his steadfast love, his covenant love, his sure and unfailing love, will endure forever.

One of the Devil’s chief tricks is to make us feel cut off from God. We are taught to rely on our feelings and when our feelings tell us that God has turned his back on us we think the end has come. But Christian, have hope. Though you lie in the pit of despair with demons howling around you, your God reigns and he is good and his steadfast love endures forever. You will be delivered from this trial, this test, this moment given to you so that by your obedience God’s glory might shine.

As you rejoice in the goodness and love of God you will soon realize that the sun has not gone down on your soul, that God shines as brilliantly as ever, that it was the enemies of God who tried to shield you from his radiance. The darkness rages against the light but cannot overcome it (John 1:5). God’s love shines still and it shines on all his children.

So give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.