Therefore we do not lose heart. Thought outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
When you lose heart, you become discouraged. When you become discouraged, you lose your joy. To lose your joy is to lose your strength and the Word tells us the, “joy of the Lord is our strength.”
The greatest enemy of our souls can be discouragement. Just like God’s great servants in the Bible we also can become discouraged in our journey of life. James 5:17 tells us that Elijah was a man just like us.
1 Kings tells us the story of how Elijah became discouraged after things didn’t turn out the way he expected. God had just helped him win victory over the priests of Baal, and now Elijah expected that the idol-worshipping king and queen of israel would repent. Instead the queen swore that she would kill Elijah. Now this great man of God was running for his life. God did lead Elijah back to Mount Horeb where he met God face to face and then he obeyed God’s direction to go back and continue what God had called him to do.
It is easy to become discouraged when we are disappointed or tired. At such times we may feel like we cannot go on. No matter why we are discouraged, we can overcome with the help of the Lord.