Overcoming Discouragement and Setbacks

By Cynthia Vandiver

Communication Missionary

Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ can make light shine in dark moments in our lives.

Each day holds so many moments of joy to be recognized, enjoyed, and appreciated. But sometimes clouds—trials, discouragement, hurt feelings, distorted perspectives—get in the way and obscure our eternal priorities. This life is meant to be full of experiences that will help us grow and prepare for the joys of eternity.

To borrow from our study manual, “Come, Follow Me,” we learn from the story of the creation that God can make something amazing out of something unorganized. Perhaps we occasionally become somewhat “unorganized” in our efforts to live the principles of the gospel.

“Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are Creators, and Their creative work with us is not finished. They can make light shine in dark moments in our lives. They can form solid ground in the midst of life’s stormy seas . . . They can transform us into the beautiful creations we were meant to be.”¹

When our challenges seem too heavy and discouragement sets in, here are some real things we can do to recapture the gift of love, peace, forgiveness, and courage that our Savior so graciously offers us:

Keep praying—specifically discuss our worries and then be still and listen. President Nelson has said, “I invite you to turn your heart, mind, and soul increasingly to our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.”²
Keep reading the scriptures—by likening them to ourselves we can receive inspiration and insight.
With the help of the Lord, evaluate our worries. We can ask ourselves these questions: What do we need to do differently? What can we do; what can the Lord do to help us?

Are we genuinely willing to alter our ways and keep our eternal perspective? Are we willing to submit our will to the Lord? Are we willing to turn to our support group—God, family, friends—for new insights and greater understanding and counsel? Are we willing to respond to and follow the promptings of the Lord?

Strive to appreciate the Lord’s timing—be patient with our challenges and with ourselves.
Take time to express our gratitude to our Saviour and to Heavenly Father for Their help and blessings. We can acknowledge and celebrate every bit of progress we make with Their help.

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf has said, “Regardless of our current state, there is hope for us. No matter our distress, no matter our sorrow, no matter our mistakes, our infinitely compassionate Heavenly Father desires that we draw near to Him so that He can draw near to us. [He] fills our hearts with breath-taking joy, brightens our darkest hours with blessed peace, distils upon our minds precious truths, shepherds us through times of distress, rejoices when we rejoice, and answers our righteous petitions.³

At the end of General Conference in October 2020, President Nelson gave us this blessing: “I bless you to be filled with the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ. His peace is beyond all mortal understanding. I bless you with an increased desire and ability to obey the laws of God. I promise that as you do, you will be showered with blessings, including greater courage, increased personal revelation, sweeter harmony in your homes, and joy even amid uncertainty.”⁴