There and Back Again! Coming Back from Discouragement

There

We’ve all been THERE. That place where we’re discouraged, we don’t know what to do, and we want to give up.

I went There. I looked at how long I’ve dreamed and worked toward being a career novelist and how little fruit my efforts have produced. I would think about starting a task and quit immediately because I was so convinced it would be as futile as everything else I’d done.

Ouch.

So that’s why a few months ago, I followed what I felt God was calling me to do, which was take a step back from writing for a bit.

There and back again

Here’s what I’ve been grappling with (code: trying to learn) as I’ve been There. Maybe these thoughts will inspire you, too.

1. Learning to trust

God controls the results, not me. I can put forth all the effort I want, but He’s the one who makes things happen. He can make them happen even if I don’t do anything. I need to prioritize Him more than my dreams.

Key resource: Trusting God When You’re Struggling by C.E. White (affiliate link) (This book described my state of being There so thoroughly.)

2. Learning to rest

It’s ok to rest. In a time of transition and change, time is needed to acclimate to avoid burnout and losing progress.

Key resource: Dream I Dare You by Julia Gentry (affiliate link) (I’m still working through this one.)

3. Learning to grow

I can change my mind. My mindset has always been my worst enemy, but even though bad thought patterns have been ingrained through years of repetition, it’s not too late to change them by repeating positive truth instead of negative lies.

Key resource: Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer (affiliate link)

4. Learning to persevere

Failure is not fatal. The only failures I have are the ones I called failures and chose not to learn from. I have to make mistakes before I can succeed, and if I learn, I’m progressing instead of failing.

Key resource: Failing Forward by John C. Maxwell (affiliate link) (I’m still only a few chapters into this one.)

And back again!

In the past few weeks, I felt like God said it was ok to start working on writing things again. I’ve been coming back slowly, thinking and strategizing. I know I need things to be different to sustain coming back. I recognize I’m at the beginning of a major growth journey. Frankly, it’s a bit intimidating. I’m not quite sure what I will jump into and what I will let rest longer or let go of completely.

But I want to come back—and stay back. I want to become a stronger, braver person. I want to pursue my dreams. I don’t want to quit anymore.

What about you? Have you been There? How do you come back again?

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