Day 17- No Hope

"Why are you cast down, O my inner self? And why should you moan over me and be disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, my Help and my God." Psalm 42:5

"Discouragement destroys hope. Failure easily leads to more failure. And once we allow our minds to say, "This is the way it will always be," the devil has won a victory over us." (Meyers, pg 58).

"If we change our thoughts, we can change our outcome." (pg 59).

Jesus does not condemn us, we condemn ourselves.

Prayer:
"Lord Jesus, with Your help, I can make it. With Your help, I won't be discouraged and feel hopeless.  With Your help, I can defeat every wrong thought the devil slips into my mind.  Thank You for victory. Amen."

**********My Thoughts**********

I skipped yesterday.

Poor time management (one of the things I'm working on).

Stayed up way too late doing homework when I was home all day taking care of sick kids and going out to dinner with a friend I never see enough of.

When 1130 rolled around, I was whipped and felt like I couldn't do the devotion.

I'm so glad I didn't.

Here is why:

Lately, I've been a bit down.

Stress is eating me alive and job movement (lack there of) and taking care of everything at home with the kids plus a kid who has mental problems plus juggling college and scouts and running and trying to keep it all together.

I feel like I am succeeding at nothing and failing at everything.

But that is me thinking those things, not God.

Today's devotion taught me that condemning thoughts are my thoughts. 

God is rooting me on to succeed (and probably slow down).

He has my back, which is why Jesus' cross is tattooed there.