Luke 24:24-27 ASV

Over the course of my life, I have never felt utterly discouraged. Generally I feel encouraged, uplifted and very positive. But there was a time when I was attending university where I was feeling discouraged. Classes weren't going well. Personal relationships of mine weren't that stellar. All around I was not in a great place. I was discouraged, and when asked with the simple question of why? I answered honestly, because I was adrift, living life on my own. I was discouraged because I wasn't doing what God wanted me to be doing. I was living for myself. Sometimes discouragement can be a good thing, it can wake us up and help us see what needs to be done. In this particular story we see the disciples facing terrible discouragement, their Messiah has died! As they travel home heads hung low, Jesus appears with them and moves their discouragement to encouragement as they realize the truth of the situation. What if we stopped thinking of discouragement as a tool of the devil, but started thinking of discouragement as an opportunity to grow closer to God? Would we not be easier then to "consider it all joy when we face trials of many kinds"

Journal Entry:

When I look back on the worst thing that ever happened to me I am amazed to see that... how God has protected me. Even at worst the things that have happened to me are trivial compared to the atrocities happening daily in the world. My tiny problems are of little concern in the overall plan, and yet they still bring personal responses from God... What a truly amazing God we serve.