2 Cor 4 Discouraged? NO!
A magician has his bag of tricks, Satan his bag of the deadly d’s. One his tools in his bag is seeking to undermine the work of Christ by discouragement. Maybe your discouragement has come because of fear or of lack of progress in your spiritual walk. Whatever it is,know the true source of discouragement is from the enemy. Perhaps it might be good to stop and just read those few words Paul penned where he noted the reason he was not discouraged was because God had shown him mercy beyond all that he could think of. He had been a persecutor of the early church and as he thought back he could recall the scenes of going house to house, dragging believers to the places of punishment. But, God in His way, and in His time, chose to reveal Himself to Paul on the Damascus road and turn him 180 degrees around to become not a persecutor but a proclaimer.
Now Paul stops to reflect on his work of presenting the gospel. Just as he was gifted with mercy that was undeserved, so he saw the unsaved in need of such a gift. He was well aware of the work of the enemy, Satan. “among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God.” [2 Cor 4:4] Thus he knew that they, like he, may be discouraged but needed to hear the truth and return that tool back to Satan’s bag of tricks.
Precious reader, do not become discouraged. Reflect on the gift of mercy you have received and go forth to present the gospel message.