Believers must not be too discouraged by their sins.
I came across an interesting quote recently. It’s from a well-known Puritan author named Thomas Brooks. We know that we need to take sin seriously and repent sincerely, but could it be that the tempter, once we fall, quickly becomes the accuser and defeats us through discouragement? Thomas Brooks suggests that just as we need to repent of our sins, so also must we repent of beeing discouraged because of our sins. Here’s how he puts it:
“Their being discouraged by their sins will cost them many a prayer, many a tear, and many a groan; and that because their discouragements under sin flow from ignorance and unbelief. It springs from their ignorance of the richness, freeness, fullness, and everlastingness of God’s love; and from their ignorance of the power, glory, sufficiency, and efficacy of the death and sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ; and from their ignorance of the worth, glory, fullness, largeness, and completeness of the righteousness of Jesus Christ; and from their ignorance of that real, close, spiritual, glorious, and inseparable union that is between Christ and their precious souls.
Ah! Did precious souls know and believe the truth of these things as they should, they would not sit down dejected and overwhelmed under the sense and operation of sin. God never gave a believer a new heart that it should always lie a-bleeding, and that it should always be rent and torn in pieces with discouragements.”
- Thomas Brooks, Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices
Larry is the senior pastor at 
I really like this. Making us aware of the sin in our discouragement..our lack of faith… What a blessing to be able to smile and move on, to look up to the sky and think about the truth of God loving your precious soul. I will move into this year with more confidence, less discouragement, and more faith in the love God has for me and I in Him.
This is great armor against the evil one who would love to have the opportunity to take advantage when you are already weak. We must be concious at all times of the incredible forgiveness and not allow discouragement into our hearts.
I admire the clarity of the quote in your blog. As I’ve looked at beginning the new year, one thought that I’ve held is making the distinction between change and growth. I think your sermon this past weekend at Christ Community added to this in pointing out both the cultural problems as well as the problems that Christians face are so often rooted in their faith. Thanks for upholding the Scriptures with such a Chris-centered integrity.