Introduction: We all have times of discouragement, sometimes over serious matters, and sometimes because of little things. We lose our enthusiasm for life. Everything looks dark. We want to retreat and hide from everyone, both friend and foe. How can we help ourselves in these times? Psalm 25 gives some answers.

I. We should keep on believing in God (Psalm 25:1-3).

A. David uses a variety of words to describe faith: lifting up your soul to God, trusting, and hoping.

B. The Bible encourages us repeatedly to keep on trusting in God. Faith is a bed-rock essential to living the Christian life.

Psa 37:3 Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Psa 37:4 Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Psa 37:5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:

Psa 62:8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

Prov 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
Prov 3:6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

John 14:1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.

Heb 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

II. We should ask God for understanding (Psalm 25:4-5).

A. David prayed that God would help him to understand his situation from God's viewpoint: "Your ways, Your paths, Your truth."

B. We tend to be very near-sighted about our problems. For example: suppose as you drive out of the church parking lot this morning you accidentally run into somebody's car, and cause a lot of damage. We are immediately beseiged by questions and worries about how to deal with the situation. How many of us would ask ourselves the question: "What does God want us to learn from this experience."

The Bible says: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28).

The story of Joseph is a good example. Don't you think he was discouraged when his brothers sold him as a slave? Yet God had a plan. Later he said to his brothers: "And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you" (Genesis 45:5). And in Genesis 50:20: "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."

C. Every event in your life is under the providential oversight of God, and there is a purpose and a learning-experience there every time. Whatever happens, ask God for understanding. Try to see the event from God's viewpoint. How can you grow as a Christian through this problem that God has allowed to come to you? How can you be a blessing to others? How can you bring honor to the Lord?

III. Pray for mercy (Psalm 25:6-7, 11, 18).

Psa 25:6 Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.
Psa 25:7 Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD.
Psa 25:11 For the sake of your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great.

A. David reminds us by his life that many of our discouraging moments are of our own making. We have sinned. We are now reaping the unhappy results of our sins. Sin is like eating a red hot tamale. You have the pleasure of eating it for five minutes. But the heart-burn it causes will make you miserable all night long!

B. The Prodigal son was very discouraged at a certain point in his life. Why? He had brought it on himself by his sinful lifestyle. If you sin, you will reap what you sow.

C. But when we confess our sins, God forgives us, and restores us to His fellowship. Even as the prodigal son was welcomed back, your heavenly Father will welcome you, and forgive you, and restore to you the joy of your salvation.

IV. Fill your mind with thoughts about God (Psalm 25:8-10).

Psa 25:8 Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
Psa 25:9 He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.
Psa 25:10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.

A. Back in "olden times," we didn't have cd's, and we didn't have cassette tapes. We listened to music on phonograph records. Sometimes a record would get scratched, and then it would start to repeat a groove over and over again.

B. When we get discouraged, we often replay our fault or our failure over and over again in our heads, which perpetuates our feelings of discouragement. We need to quit thinking about ourselves, and start meditating about God.

C. Paul the Apostle gives us a detailed prescription for overcoming discouragement, which he calls "anxiety."

Phil 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Phil 4:7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Phil 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.
Phil 4:9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

1. Give thanks.
2. Present your requests to God.
3. Think thoughts that are noble, right, pure, lovely, and so on.
4. Put your Christianity into practice.
RESULT: The peace of God will guard your hearts. The God of peace will be with you.

Conclusion: What then shall we do when we find ourselves discouraged?
1. Keep on trusting in God.
2. As God for understanding, to see the situation from God's side.
3. Pray for mercy. Confess your sins. Repent and turn to God.
4. Fill your mind with thoughts of God.

Amen.