Jason Meyer - Dont Lose Heart: Gospel Hope for the Discouraged Soul

Discouragement paralyzes and disables us, and Meyer brilliantly and pastorally addresses the problem and administers the biblical cure. Don t Lose Heart is piercingly clear and biblically faithful, and it will give hope and joy to many. An invaluable treasure.

Thomas R. Schreiner , professor of New Testament interpretation and associate dean at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky

From the beginning of this book it is obvious that it was written by someone with a pastors heart and a theologians mind. Pastor Meyer offers insightful understanding about what brings us down and what causes us to lose heart at different moments in life. If you are going to look at your past failures, you must look all the way back to the cross, at the foot of which, Jason argues, you may leave any and all your shortcomings. If you are worried about the future, you may as well look all the way forward to see a bigger picture of God, along with a final and grandiose view of the glory awaiting you. The world needs more Jason Meyers... pastors who think theologically, are capable of counseling their sheep through their writings, and can competently train the leaders who will walk with them. This book refreshed my memory and my soul.

Miguel Nez , senior pastor of International Baptist Church, Dominican Republic

Have you ever considered that discouragement is a liar, telling you half-truths about the world and, namely, God? Jason Meyers pastoral care and biblical guidance helps us see the truth about discouragement so that we may bask in the goodness of Gods grace. In Don t Lose Heart , we are reminded of our glorious hopeand its the whole truth, truth that is sure and will not put us to shame.

Trillia Newbell , author of If God Is For Us and God s Very Good Idea

We all get discouraged; we all lose heart. So the real issue is what we do with our discouragement. How do we handle it? How do we fight it? In Don t Lose Heart , Jason Meyer doesnt simply tell us to buck up and stop crying. Instead, as the subtitle suggests, he provides Gospel Hope for the Discouraged Soul by exposing the half-truths that lead to discouragement and calling us to replace them with the whole truths of who God is for us in Christ. Since we all lose heart from time to time, read this book as a gospel balm for your weary soul and share it with others so that together we may spur one another to believe the whole truths of the gospel, keep heart, and persevere in faith until all our hopes are realized in the new heaven and new earth.

Juan R. Sanchez , senior pastor of High Pointe Baptist Church, Austin, Texas, and author of Seven Dangers Facing Your Church

Here is what a kind, wise, godly friend would tell you when you are discouraged. It is good for all of us that these words are written down. They have lifted my heart to Christ and, in Gods providence, will lift the hearts of many.

Kathleen Nielson , speaker and author of Women and God

Jason has written a treasure! I love this uplifting book. It encouraged me in heart and mind and helped me love Jesus more. Im recommending it to everyone I know.

Mack Stiles , pastor of Erbil International Baptist Church, Iraq, and author of Marks of the Messenger and Evangelism

Copyright Page

2019 by Jason Meyer

Published by Baker Books

a division of Baker Publishing Group

PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287

www.bakerbooks.com

Ebook edition created 2019

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

ISBN 978-1-4934-1925-8

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2016

Italics in Scripture quotations are the authors emphasis.

Some names and details have been changed to protect the privacy of the individuals involved.

The information provided in this book is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment of clinical depression, anxiety, or other psychological conditions. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical or psychological condition. When a doctors advice to a particular individual conflicts with advice provided in this book, that individual should always follow the doctors advice.

Dedication

To Caramy best friend, love of my life, and fellow fighter-for-sight

Contents

Cover

Endorsements

Half Title Page

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

Introduction: Why Discouragement Is a Liar

PART ONE: HOW TO FIGHT FOR SIGHT

1. What to Do When You Feel Overwhelmed

2. What to Do When You Feel Defeated

3. What to Do When You Feel Worthless

PART TWO: HOW TO DEFEAT DESPAIR

4. What to Do When the Past Paralyzes You

5. What to Do When the Present Disappoints You

6. What to Do When the Future Scares You

Conclusion: Gods Not Done

Notes

About the Author

Back Ads

Back Cover

Part one

How to Fight for Sight

PART 1 OF THIS BOOK is like a trip to the optometrist to get our vision tested. Because discouragement is a fight for sight, we are going to look away from counterfeit hopes and fix our gaze on the greatness of the blessed Holy Trinity. Chapter 1 looks at the greatness of God the Father, chapter 2 gazes at the greatness of God the Son, and chapter 3 unveils the greatness of God the Holy Spirit. We are not just asking for a vision from God but a vision of God.

Each chapter will ask us to check something different in our fight for sight. In chapter 1, we will check the scalenot to check our weight but to check our sight. Checking the scale is a call to replace our earthly scale with one that is God-sized. Chapter 2 is a call to check the score. We will look away from counterfeit scoreboards and turn to see the score that matters for all eternity. Chapter 3 is a call to check our story. We all have a sense of how to tell our own story, but is it accurate? Who gets to tell our story? We will see how the God who writes our story also gets to tell our story.

Part Two

How to Defeat Despair

WHENEVER WE BEGIN TO LOSE HEART, we should take the gospel and press it into the deep places in our hearts where discouragement loves to hide. A thorough spring-cleaning will help us clear those hard-to-reach areas of our homes, and in the same way, a deep cleaning of our hearts will allow the gospel to do its work wherever discouragement can be found.

Why is discouragement so prevalent in our lives? In part 2, we will do a real-life assessment that examines the three tenses of discouragement. The past tense of discouragement is shame or bitterness about what we have done. The present tense of discouragement is disappointment about what we currently have. The future tense of discouragement is anxiety about what might happen in the future.