Why Do Christians Become Discouraged?
1) Direct Answer
Christians become discouraged when they take their eyes off the Lord’s promises, listen to the accuser, walk by sight instead of faith, grow weary under trial, or misunderstand God’s loving chastening. Discouragement is a real battle, but it is not the believer’s portion—God provides strength, comfort, and renewal.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- Looking at circumstances instead of the Word: Peter sank when he saw the wind, but was safe while looking at Jesus (Matthew 14:29-31).
- Isolation and fear: Elijah ran, sat under a juniper tree, and asked to die; God fed him, spoke gently, and sent him back with a word (1 Kings 19:1-18).
- Delay and dashed expectations: “We trusted…” said the Emmaus disciples, sad and confused, until the Scriptures were opened and Christ was made known (Luke 24:17-32).
- Weariness under chastening: We “be wearied and faint” unless we consider Him who endured; God’s chastening yields fruit (Hebrews 12:3-11).
- Hope deferred: “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick” (Proverbs 13:12).
- Satan’s accusations and attacks: The adversary seeks to devour; he is the accuser of the brethren (1 Peter 5:8-9; Revelation 12:10).
- Honest testimony of saints: “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? hope thou in God” (Psalm 42:5). “We are troubled… yet not distressed… cast down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- Discouragement rises when sight takes the throne and the promise is pushed aside. Faith looks away to Jesus (Hebrews 12:2).
- If God’s people never faced discouragement, why would He say, “Be not weary in well doing” (Galatians 6:9), “Fear not… be strong” (Joshua 1:9), and give us “the comfort of the Scriptures” (Romans 15:4)?
- The remedy is not to deny the storm, but to lift higher than it:
- Return to the Word: “This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me” (Psalm 119:50).
- Pray and cast away your cares: “Be careful for nothing… the peace of God shall keep your hearts” (Philippians 4:6-7); “Casting all your care upon him” (1 Peter 5:7).
- Resist the devil and take the shield of faith (James 4:7; Ephesians 6:16).
- Wait on the Lord for renewed strength (Isaiah 40:28-31).
- Keep fellowship and encouragement (Hebrews 10:24-25).
- Rejoice and give thanks—“the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
- Remember past deliverances (Psalm 77:11-12).
Short reinforcing statement
You see, discouragement is a sign of battle, not of abandonment. Lift your eyes to Christ, speak what God has spoken, and keep walking. “We faint not… while we look not at the things which are seen…but at the things which are not seen” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 7:E-92
...e up in the second resurrection. Such are the foolish virgins and the righteous as are spoken of in Matthew 25. In this class also are those who do not worship the beast or become involved in the antichrist system but die for their faith even though they are not in the bride, not having been born again. But they will come up in the second resurrection and go into eternal life. Thirdly, there are the borderline Christians such as we saw in Israel coming out of Egypt. These had their names in the Book of Life and the...
Reconciliation through fellowship with God
56-0120 §15
...nt. Their makeup is different. A crow's a scavenger. A dove couldn't eat that kind of food; he has no gall; he's not made up that way. And that's the way that the world and Christians cannot fellowship together. There's something different, you just can't do it. Because a man, when he once becomes a Christian, a born-again Christian, then the old things die, and all things become new again. He becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus, old things pass away.
Faith (Africa trip report)
52-0725 §59
...is stripes we're healed. Look, I noticed one time, a fellow kept coming to my church. And he would say ... I'd say, "All that wants to be remembered in prayer, that they'll become Christians, stand up." Every night, he'd stand up. All right. Next night, I'd say, "All that wants to be Christians, wants to be remembered in prayer, to be a Christian, stand up." He'd stand up, through that revival. And after while, it'd be months, and have another revival, he'd stand up. This when I was a Baptist minister there. He'd s...
Questions and Answers, Part 3
64-0830M §66
So, hanging around down there, and the first thing you know, one night come up a question about church and about Christians. One of the old drunks setting there said, "There ain't no such a thing as Christians anymore." Said, "There is no such a thing. All this bunch of hypocrites," said, "you see them out here smoking, drinking, doing the same thing that we do, and," said, "call themselves Christians. There is no such." This one drunk raised up and said, "Just a minute! There's one that I know about." Said, "Who i...
What visions are
56-0421 §75
I said, "By the way, are you all Christians?" "No." Well, I said, "Look, if you're not Christians, if your little boy dies, then he'll go to heaven; he's just a little bitty boy, just six years old ... or, five years old," I believe it was. I said, "He'll go to heaven. And if you die in your sins, you can't go where he's at. But if God takes him, and you become a Christian, then you can go and live with him; there'll never be an accident there." And I said, "Then look, if you wanted a favor out of me, you'd do me a...