When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said:  “Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments,… Nehemiah 1:4,5

Discouragement feels like a big weight on our shoulders.  It steals motivation, makes work more difficult, and diminishes our enjoyment of life.  The reasons for discouragement vary…general dissatisfaction with life, criticism from others, failure to live up to our own expectations, painful relationships, ongoing trials, declining health, and hopelessness for the future are just a few.

Nehemiah’s situation teaches us an important lesson about handling discouragement. When he heard a report about the poor condition of Jerusalem  and the difficulty the Jewish remnant living there were in, he was seriously distressed (Nehemiah 1:1-11).  In his dismay over their situation, Nehemiah turned to the Lord in prayer.  He knew that His great God could change the situation.  In his prayer, Nehemiah praised God’s awesome character, confessed sin on behalf of himself and the nation, recalled divine promises, and presented his petition.

When we face discouragement, our first priority should be to cry out to our heavenly Father. But our prayers should begin with a focus on the Lord, not on our problems.  On e we have confessed our sin and adjusted our perspective to see God’s greatness and care, then we’re ready to trust Him to answer our petitions in His timing.