Once you look up and give yourself anew to God, you're not out of the woods because soon enough, discouraging thoughts reappear. The adversity that you face getting started for the day makes matters worse.

The feeling can be like going down a slide as the day begins. Can you relate?

Walk up the slide

We first learn what it feels like to go down a slide when we’re very young. But then, around age seven, children realize that they can walk up the slide. One step after another, they realize that they can do this and not fall back. Soon enough, they realize that it's more fun to walk up the slide than to go down, and they constantly exercise that newfound freedom.

Likewise, you and I can intentionally walk up the slide when discouragement comes. This comes from preaching the gospel to yourself and reframing how you see what is before you.

This comes from choosing your thoughts by reminding yourself of the truth of who you are in Christ. As Paul says, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true … if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Phil 4:8)

Paul understands this inclination to discouragement because he experienced it himself, yet counteracted it with truth. In writing to the Romans, his tells them to do the same, saying,

For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, “Abba, Father!” (Rom 8:15)

If you’ve given yourself to God and the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, then you can be assured that you are a child of God. God’s protection and goodness surround you!

There is no condemnation

One of the biggest obstacles for most people is a sense of condemnation, either perceived from others or generated from within. This is when you focus on your mistakes and feel like it's too late to overcome them.

When this happens, know that these thoughts do not come from God. In fact, they make you ineffective in building God's kingdom, so of course, God doesn’t want that. Remember this simple charge from Paul:

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Rom 8:1)

Embrace this truth for yourself as God's will for you. God doesn’t want you to be discouraged, but to embrace the truth that Jesus died for you, and you stand by grace and mercy alone. From this perspective, you can live with gratitude and give the glory to God.

Renewing your mind

By intentionally reframing how you see yourself in light of the Gospel, you are able to go forward more fully in the perspective of God's mercy and enabling. This fulfills the directive of Paul that renew your mind. He says,

Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Rom 12:2)

This renewal happens as we return to the whole process. We face discouragement, but look up to God. We embrace the cross by giving ourselves up to him and others. We're then able to walk up by truth of God's grace and mercy.

Yes, you’ve made mistakes. Everyone does. But God does not give up on you. Simply return to him, and receive his grace and mercy for the task at hand.

As we do this regularly, we become more anchored in the truth of who we are in Christ. And the more we do this, the more we're able to give ourselves up for the Gospel, even as we give ourselves more fully to the one who gave himself up for us.

This is why I call this Blue Hearts to Blue Skies. A blue heart can cause us to press in more fully to God, so that we see the blue skies of his mercy and grace.

We don’t welcome discouragement, but the beauty of life in Christ is that we can take that adversity and turn more fully to the gospel and become more anchored in faith. This process makes you stronger, and in turn, enables you to strengthen others.

Move forward

Ultimately, this enables us to be more productive and move forward in the work of our lives, which is why I put together a resource called a Guide to A Grace-Filled Start to help you hold on to these principles and implement them in your day.

I'll include a brief overview in the next (and last) message in this series.