Limit & Schedule

Ps.119:164-165 (TPT) “I stop to praise you seven times a day, all because your ways are perfect! There is such a great peace and well-being that comes to the lovers of your word, and they will never be offended.”

The fourth question that helps us learn from discouragement is, where or what do I need to change? Jesus is our perfect example and yesterday we learnt that Jesus loved everyone, Jesus ministered to everyone, but Jesus limited His exposure. Jesus only hung out with a few people and this can make all the difference. Identify the people that bring the worst out of you and limit your exposure to them. You love them but you dodge them. Yet, sometimes the change is internal, it is in our hearts. It has nothing to do with people, or with places, it has everything to do with your heart. Those are the difficult ones; we need to be the change that we really seek and that is where we need to wrestle with God.

The first thing we need to do with discouragement is, we need to learn from discouragement. The second thing we need to do with discouragement is, we need to limit discouragement. That means being proactive. Discouragement is part of life; we may not be able to totally eradicate it but we can overcome it. We may not be able to erase it, but we can limit it. We may not be able to get rid of it, but we can triumph over it. I am going to share a few things with you that can really help you. These things are what I operate in my life. It may not seem like it, but I get discouraged and these are the things that I do. What I am about to share with you is from the Word of God and they are the proactive part of limiting discouragement.

The first thing is schedule relaxation (schedule leisure). It may sound like an oxymoron, but scheduling leisure is so powerful. How can you schedule leisure? Some people think that if it is leisure then it must be spontaneous. Not necessarily. Some people would say, if I am to enjoy leisure it must be spontaneous. Not necessarily, it does not have to be. You can schedule something you enjoy and still enjoy it. Guess what? You already do it every day. When you are not fasting, you schedule food. Question; do you still enjoy food?

We have couples struggling with intimacy and when I suggest that they schedule it, they complain that it will become monotonous. The problem is not with what is going on, the problem is because in your mind you have associated scheduling with boring. But you schedule things that you enjoy every day. So, schedule your leisure, schedule your relaxation. 

Prayer:  Father, I thank You for helping me learn from and limit discouragement in my life. I thank You because I will triumph over discouragement, in Jesus Name. Amen!