This is entry 2/5 in a series on discouragement.

We look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18, ESV)

Some discouragements come slowly. We can’t really remember when they started. Others come overnight, from one moment to the next: an accident, a sudden illness, something bad happens completely unexpected and Satan uses it and whispers to our heart: “If God were with you, that would not have happened or at least you would have gotten out of it quickly.” The more we listen to such thoughts and the more we ponder on them, the more discouraged we get.

The servant of Elisha once experienced such a situation. The king of Aram tried to catch Elisha. So during the night the king completely surrounded the city, where the prophet stayed, with his horses and chariots. At sunrise Elisha’s servant was the first to discover it. He was shocked: “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” (2 Kings 6:15).

This servant wasn’t just feeling discouraged. He could see the many horses and chariots! “I see that this is the end!” he may have thought. When the devil throws his darts of discouragement at us, he wants us to see a situation his way, from his perspective. The more we see a situation his way the more discouraged we get.

How did Elisha help his servant? Elisha said: “Don’t be afraid, those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Really? But where were they? Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.” What a good prayer! Open his eyes, so that he does not just see the situation from a human or even from Satan’s perspective. Open his eyes, so that he does not just fix his eyes on what is visible. Let him see You, Lord, who You are for us in this situation.

God heard that good prayer and opened the servant’s eyes. And the servant saw a second army of horses and chariots of fire! All around Elisha! God’s answer fitted exactly the situation they were in. What answer to the enemy’s horses and chariots could fit better than horses and chariots from God? And not only that, God’s horses and chariots were of fire! They were stronger, much more powerful!

In fact, they were not surrounded by an enemy army, but by God’s army. Because the servant’s eyes were fixed only on what was visible, he had seen only half of the truth. Now he could see the whole truth! Though the enemy army was still there, though the discouraging situation had not changed, it had lost its power to discourage! The servant saw things from God’s perspective!

The apostle Paul, too, had learned to change perspective. We look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. We look to God! That’s how we overcome discouragement!

God’s power is always bigger than what discourages us!