Comfort for the Discouraged

What do you do when discouragement sets in, even in the middle of God’s work? Hudson Taylor felt it, Paul felt it—and Scripture promises that God “comforts the downcast.”

“But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus” (2 Corinthians 7:6).

Hudson Taylor left for China in 1853, full of confidence and faith. A few years earlier, at age 17, he’d had a radical conversion and determined that “Christ is either Lord of all, or He is not Lord at all.” He chose to make Jesus Lord of everything in his life.

Taylor felt God’s call to be a medical missionary to China. As preparation for the mission field, he began to practice living by faith. He knew that in China, God would be his only claim. He wanted to learn how to “move man, through God, by prayer alone.” He was committed to prayer, wanting to know for himself if Jesus’ promises were true—if he could ask anything in His name and He would do it (John 14:13).

But after arriving in China, Taylor went through a time of discouragement. He was lonely and struggling to find his way. He wrote to the Chinese Evangelization Society in England, “Pray for me, for I am almost pressed beyond measure, and were it not that I find the Word of God increasingly precious and feel His presence with me, I do not know what I should do.”

Like Taylor, even the apostle Paul admitted that, at times, he struggled with discouragement. He was encouraged when Titus came for a visit.

When you face struggles, seek God in prayer. Confess His Word. Trust Him to meet your needs wherever you are.

Reflection Question: How has God sent encouragement when you needed it most?

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 2 Corinthians 7:6 say about discouragement?

It declares that God “comforts the downcast,” and that He encouraged even the apostle Paul through the arrival of Titus—showing that God meets the discouraged, often through other people.

How can I overcome discouragement biblically?

Scripture models seeking God in prayer, treasuring His Word, and trusting Him to meet your needs wherever you are—remembering that even great believers like Paul and Hudson Taylor struggled, and God comforted them.