Gloom Lane!

2 Chronicles 15:5-7 NLT

"During those dark times, it was not safe to travel. Problems troubled the people of every land. [6] Nation fought against nation, and city against city, for God was troubling them with every kind of problem. [7] But as for you, be strong and courageous, for your work will be rewarded."

Fighting off discouragement is something we all have to do throughout the life of faith.

The Pilgrim's Progress talks of being caught in the "Slough of Despond" - a Slough being a shallow, slow-moving swamp, marsh, or backwater inlet.

Spiritually speaking that "Slough" leads to despondency and discouragement - keeping us from making progress. We get trapped and duped into thinking we'll be bogged down with troubles and trials forever.

My nearest and dearest has a habit of looking on the negative side - I jokingly call it "walking down Gloom Lane".

That sort of mindset is not prescribed by Jesus and by God's written Word. He encourages a positive attitude:

Matthew 24:12-13 NLT

Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. [13] But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Look to the bright horizon of eternity with Jesus and encourage your heart.

Romans 8:11,18,22-25 NLT

The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. [18] Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will reveal to us later. [22] For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. [23] And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as His adopted children, including the new bodies He has promised us. [24] We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don't need to hope for it. [25] But if we look forward to something we don't yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)

Set your spiritual GPS away from "Gloom Lane" to the "New Jerusalem" - make a U-turn and aim for eternity with Jesus!