How to Handle Situations the Tend to Discourage

Get problems in their proper perspective. Your enemy today may be your best supporter next year. My gospel umbrella deflects the barbs intended for me.

If I fall prey to the critics and I simply cannot meet their approval, I pop open my gospel umbrella. “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).

If I do not get credit for the work I do, I pop open my gospel umbrella again. “For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve” (Acts 27:23).

If I am really being mistreated, I pop open the gospel umbrella. “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing” (James 1:2-4).

I keep trying, but I just don’t seem to be getting anywhere. Pop open the gospel umbrella. “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Galatians 6:9).

Don’t live in too small a time frame. Good times come and go, but so do the bad ones. When you see life’s whole picture, it usually looks different, and much brighter. If you watch a parade through a knothole you only see part of the parade at any particular time.

Gary Dull