Generating Confidence to Fight Discouragement
A couple of weeks ago, Father Jacques Michel helped us to understand how to fight lingering discouragement. His focus was on our spiritual lives. Today let's look at how he might help us if we ever become discouraged at work. It happens, as you may know. Even the best jobs don't present us with a lovely rose garden every morning as we begin the day. Some days the weeds grow right up to our eyeballs, and it's hard to see our way through. String too many of those days together and you're in the cold grip of discouragement (and I speak from experience).
For those of you in its grip right now, and those of us who may be at some point, the first thing we need to keep front and center is that discouragement is a favored tool of the devil. It's one of the more effective tools he's designed to pry us from Our Lord. It's especially effective on those at the top of their game. When I first lost a client in my fledgling business, I couldn't help but be discouraged by the fact that the high quality work I'd produced wasn't enough to keep the relationship. The fact that the fit between the client and our firm wasn't quite right never occurred to me at first. Hey, you produce top-shelf work, you get rewarded, right? Well, as you who are now a bit wiser than I was then will know, that's not the way of the world. I learned this, but only after a stiff bout of discouragement.
With this in mind, let's string together some particularly helpful slices of insight from Father Michel so we can better come to grips with the grip of discouragement.
First we should recognize the feeling of powerlessness that insinuates itself when our initial attempt to shake off discouragement doesn't do the trick. As Father Michel points out, we may become "...entirely absorbed by the thought of our weakness..." Being Catholic, we know we can and should call on God, to put our trust in Him, especially when we're feeling particularly low. But we see how the devil can step into such a weakened state and get control of our emotions: "...we have but a feeble hope that God will help us; we hardly expect it, we scarcely dare to ask for it..."Just when we should with the greatest confidence call upon our Heavenly Father, knowing He loves us and will help us out our funk, we pull back. With the failure of our initial attempt, rather than keep at it, we're in danger of surrendering to the devil's wiles: "Our first relapse serves to confirm this impression – that it is useless for us to resist...Disgust and the spirit of indifference with regard to our duties take possession of our mind and heart, and these duties are thus rendered only more arduous."
Father explains why he delves into the details of the individual steps involved in coping with discouragement: "These details are perhaps lengthy, but they may help you to understand the enemy’s plan of attack, and enable you to prepare a defense which shall defeat his designs."
So what might be our defense? If you can swallow those secular bromides about "self-esteem," "positive thinking," "I'm OK, you're OK and all's right with the world" you may feel better. But as Catholics we need to burrow deeper and wider that those quick, superficial fixes. We're talking about learning to trust in God once and for all, completely, no holding back. Something like throwing yourself into your Heavenly Father's loving lap so He knows you trust Him completely, and will follow His Holy Will wherever it leads.
No, it's not a quick fix. But over time, if you work at it, trusting in God will instinctively become your first choice when discouragement knocks on your door. And turning to Him right at the get-go rather than rely on your efforts won't allow the devil to slip in that door. The benefits to your life here and ultimately your eternal life will build from there.
So instead of drinking those secular bromides, be like the Samaritan woman at the well. Remember what Our Lord said to her?
For those of you in its grip right now, and those of us who may be at some point, the first thing we need to keep front and center is that discouragement is a favored tool of the devil. It's one of the more effective tools he's designed to pry us from Our Lord. It's especially effective on those at the top of their game. When I first lost a client in my fledgling business, I couldn't help but be discouraged by the fact that the high quality work I'd produced wasn't enough to keep the relationship. The fact that the fit between the client and our firm wasn't quite right never occurred to me at first. Hey, you produce top-shelf work, you get rewarded, right? Well, as you who are now a bit wiser than I was then will know, that's not the way of the world. I learned this, but only after a stiff bout of discouragement.
With this in mind, let's string together some particularly helpful slices of insight from Father Michel so we can better come to grips with the grip of discouragement.
First we should recognize the feeling of powerlessness that insinuates itself when our initial attempt to shake off discouragement doesn't do the trick. As Father Michel points out, we may become "...entirely absorbed by the thought of our weakness..." Being Catholic, we know we can and should call on God, to put our trust in Him, especially when we're feeling particularly low. But we see how the devil can step into such a weakened state and get control of our emotions: "...we have but a feeble hope that God will help us; we hardly expect it, we scarcely dare to ask for it..."Just when we should with the greatest confidence call upon our Heavenly Father, knowing He loves us and will help us out our funk, we pull back. With the failure of our initial attempt, rather than keep at it, we're in danger of surrendering to the devil's wiles: "Our first relapse serves to confirm this impression – that it is useless for us to resist...Disgust and the spirit of indifference with regard to our duties take possession of our mind and heart, and these duties are thus rendered only more arduous."
Father explains why he delves into the details of the individual steps involved in coping with discouragement: "These details are perhaps lengthy, but they may help you to understand the enemy’s plan of attack, and enable you to prepare a defense which shall defeat his designs."
So what might be our defense? If you can swallow those secular bromides about "self-esteem," "positive thinking," "I'm OK, you're OK and all's right with the world" you may feel better. But as Catholics we need to burrow deeper and wider that those quick, superficial fixes. We're talking about learning to trust in God once and for all, completely, no holding back. Something like throwing yourself into your Heavenly Father's loving lap so He knows you trust Him completely, and will follow His Holy Will wherever it leads.
No, it's not a quick fix. But over time, if you work at it, trusting in God will instinctively become your first choice when discouragement knocks on your door. And turning to Him right at the get-go rather than rely on your efforts won't allow the devil to slip in that door. The benefits to your life here and ultimately your eternal life will build from there.
So instead of drinking those secular bromides, be like the Samaritan woman at the well. Remember what Our Lord said to her?
Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4: 13-14)It's worth the effort, don't you think?
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