Jan. 15, 2023

The Book of UPSIDE DOWN

Turning Discouragement Upside Down
2 Corinthians 4
 

Possible reasons for Paul to be discouraged...

1. The church was not acting right.

2. People that Paul cared about were not doing well.

3. He was being unjustly maligned and attacked.

4. He had faced extreme physical and emotional assault.

5. Problems seemed to be coming from all sides.

6. He faced feelings of failure, inadequacy, and self-doubt?  
 

Truths to combat discouragement…

1. We have the Holy Spirit in our lives.

2. If we are doing the right thing for the right reason, we just need to keep on.

3. Jars of clay are great treasure containers.  

4. The blows of life can have limited impact.

5. Inner renewal is more powerful than outer diminishment.

6. Problems are not only temporary, they can have
great potential.
 

An upside-down look:

1. Choose not to be discouraged!  (It is a choice!)

2. Tell yourself the truth about your situation.

3. Refuse to give up!  

storylines prompt:

• When have you experienced God’s comfort in your story?  Write about your experience.
• Have you been able to pass that comfort on to others?

Resource Guide for Personal or Small Group use.