Dead Men Walking Podcast: Dealing with Doubt & Discouragement

Social Banter, Comedy, and Family Updates

Hey guys, welcome back to another episode of dead men walking podcast. So good to be here with you Jason it's good to be here with you. Hello Greg. That's your new voice now after being off for a week.

I've been gone for a little while came back with a personality, you know the. Okay, you know that I I heard some comedian. I can't remember who it was, but he's talking about the drive-thru at a McDonald's okay thing and he's like some people are just all up on the mic, you know, they're just yelling at it.

Like it's not modern technology. And then all of a sudden you get some people in there and they're just like Who was it. I can't remember this is this was in my BC days probably. Oh. Joking I don't I honestly don't know that does it was a Dane cook.

It might have been Dane cook now I'm thinking about it. Don't you remember that it might have been because he used to do that voice. That's a pickles. That is Okay. We both know who Dane cook is. He was all the rage back in the day.

He had that year or two. He was a really hard worker though. Remember him on myspace. Yeah. Oh, yeah, like he was just all over Facebook and then everything but he didn't have like Anyone supporting him at you know in the beginning obviously and yeah just blew up.

He used he was the first guy to use social media for his career and blew up. And then have you ever listened to a story about how his brother was his manager and stole? He had to send his brother to prison what stole like tens or hundreds of millions of dollars for are you serious?

Yeah had to testify against his own brother. Wow. He was basically just like forge is forging like Word documents and PDFs. Oh you made this you did that and he goes. I kind of knew something was going on and then he went to under new Management and the lawyer for his new management team was like, yeah.

We've been asking your brother for six months for these documents and stuff. He's sending over his old man. Yeah stole it all. Yeah, I mean, I I mean, I know he was making quite a bit. He was making some money.

Yeah, yeah, man, oh it's funny so we open up with a Dane Cook, right? Yeah. Yeah, right. Sorry guys. Sorry We but man, it's good to be sitting across. Yeah, Jason. I missed you. Yeah good to be back I did start a a new job and okay to add.

Well, I should say added to my plethora of jobs. Yeah, but you know, that's okay. We work hard. We play hard. We you know a wise man has multiple plans exact exactly a plan B plan C. You're doing it all especially when you have a wife and two kids with one on the way one on the way.

I mean you you definitely got a wise up. Yeah, we found out what it is. Yeah. Yes. Are you telling people we told everyone so we're gonna tell the world right now. What is it? We're having a ball. Yes I Thought it was gonna be laughter.

Here we go, I don't have any. Yeah, I know right I can't we don't want to do thug life for we weren't we weren't ready for this guys. We're doing a really loose show tonight. We're just kind of in here hanging out talking not gonna do newsy news and no.

No, I am a fat guy in a little. Honestly, every time I put my jacket on I'm like, is this thing getting smaller? Did I wash this? Did I put it in the dryer? I shrunk my shirt. No, you're just getting better.

It's the cookies. I'm so happy that you're gonna have a boy dude. Yeah, man. We're excited. That's gonna be Cool. I am surrounded by all girls right now. Even the dog is a girl, you know, are you serious?

Yeah, I got nothing yeah, man, even the insects and the You know the the mouse that comes in to here and now now and then probably a girl. Have any mice if anybody stops by our house. Don't worry. People are like wait a second.

You just gave us cookies last week. Those are good cookies. Oh, I know your wife makes Oh chocolate chip cookies that are likes. I know look I'm surprised You're not 450 pounds. Well, you look fine, man.

That's she's she's great. That's great. That isn't that like a double-edged sword when your wife is a great cook or good in the kitchen because it's like yes. There's well, they're providing and she's doing such a great but that's like there's always good food.

That is like Not good for you to eat. Think about this tonight. We're recording at 930. Yeah p .m. On a Sunday. Okay, and You know, she was like earlier today. She was like I'm making a pot roast for dinner I'm gonna need a nap, but she got done around like 6 30 or 7 and yeah, I could not take a nap so yeah, I mean, but yeah, man pot roast tonight and Gosh, yeah, she's she's always cooking something up.

Why Men Hide Doubt and Discouragement

Yeah. Well, here's the thing. So life can seem good and life is good for us generally overall. But what we want to talk about tonight was kind of a flip side of that as men. And women too, but men I think we were talking beforehand Jason.

Sometimes it's like hard to talk about like doubt and discouragement. Mm-hmm. I think we're just trained socially to kind of and there's some funny comedic bits about it as well to about just kind of Penting everything up and not talking about it when in fact, man You see doubt and discouragement throughout the entire Bible men of God women of God and it's something that we probably should talk about.

Yeah, it's something that is real for Almost I would say everyone. Yeah, I don't know one person who's never felt some type of doubt or discouragement. Believer or not believer, right? But I think this was something I brought up with Jake a couple weeks ago I was talking about how men kind of, you know, hold it all in I mean wait I mean, yeah.

Just like you just said we're trained to pretty much not say anything or if we cry then we're weak, right? If we you know catch a feeling we gotta Put a joke in there so that we don't like yeah, you know a ball or whatever, but it's like man.

Yeah, it's so true. Like I do that with compliments like if I give you a compliment and then I have to say something mean about you. Right. Sorry, I gotta even it out with something. I'll roast. Well, I gotta roast you say something nice about you.

Once you think I'm some kind of wimp exactly. Yeah, exactly but yeah, so like so what does this look like as Believers as men who are believers like where we do get discouraged. Yeah, I do we do have doubt, right?

I mean and there's so many examples of it I know you were talking about the one that I really liked if I can lead you in I don't know what order you wanted to go in. Oh, no, but the Elijah Elijah example.

Elijah's Despair After Victory Over Baal

Yeah, talk about that cuz that was What's the what's the scene there so you know what was what was really funny, you know, you're you're reading through first Kings 18 and Elijah's just like, you know.

At one point he kills 450 Priests of Baal. Yeah, and you're just like Baal. However, you want to say it, right? And and then the first part of and you know, it just sounds so triumphant. He's sure. Oh, yeah warrior, man.

You know like yeah, man, Elijah. Whoa, you know and then all of a sudden it's like Jezebel says in starting in Chapter 19. She says I'm gonna pretty much. I'm I'm gonna kill you tomorrow or die trying.

He goes running off to Beersheba and it's like I mean he was so discouraged. He was just like Lord just just kill me. Just yeah, you know, I want to end it now, you know end it now and. And pretty much I mean he's fed angel food, whatever angel food is but you know, it must be great stuff because you know.

He's your wife's cookies. Yeah. Yeah, right. Exactly, but you know, it's like it's like get back up eat some food and get back to the battle, you know. Yeah, like I mean, but you know, we how crazy is that to go from that high to like exactly killing 450.

And then even someone who was a man of God like Elijah. Having that low of just like yeah of doubt and like it's Elijah discouragement, right? Yeah, you know, I mean. It's it's yeah, it's it's crazy, you know to a lot of times when us Being men, you know the the leaders of our household when.

When we feel the discouragement, I really think it it affects the home. Oh 100 You know what I'm saying? I think that there's something about it when. You know when when dad's going through something and and the kids see it, you know.

And I I have all girls in my house. Like I said, they know when something's going down I get more hugs, you know, we're a little time, you know. But you know when I leave out that front door nobody knows I Mean, I might have a couple people that I can kind of talk to about this stuff.

But you know, it's in our in our human Reactions. I really think that there's times where it's just. You know, you're you're sitting there you're going. Well, look, you know, I know something should have happened this way I know this should have went this way or that way and you're you're speaking to God in a tone where like he's your servant.

Discouragement, Trust, and Self-Reliance

Doing things for you, right and you're all of a sudden making yourself God and it's like that's not the way it works. Right, right. And and I really think that you know, if we're listing off all these things like well, I read my Bible, you know I Memorized the verse right?

I gave an extra tip to someone I did all these things and it bringing up all these, you know works based in and. But those are all good things to do. Yeah for sure for sure but it's like kind your servers read your Bible, right?

Yeah, you you don't do those things to get rewarded like a like a doggie, right? Like I mean, it's just things that you should do love your neighbor as yourself, right right and. But yeah, anyway, I really find it, you know the doubt and discouragement side.

Falling into That a little bit to where you're like, well, look I did this I did this I did this. So why did I just lose my job right or or why is it? Why is everything just falling apart? Why is my septic tank?

Right. You want to what I've always found on that note. I found that in my life when I've had doubt and discouragement. The lack of trusting God has gone hand-in-hand with that and I'm not speaking to anyone else.

I'm speaking for myself, but I found that for me it's very easy to kind of get going on something on a project or a new idea or Maybe leading my family through something in kind of just going well, it seems good.

Yeah, so I don't really need to consult God on this. I mean, it's not a sin that we're doing right and it's like well No, everything should be done with supplication and prayer. And then when I get discouraged about the thing whether it doesn't work to my expectation or does work.

But I don't feel fulfilled or whatever the case may be. Yeah, I Ultimately realize oh, that's because I was doing it in my own power in my own might and that's why I feel discouraged now. Because God wasn't included in those plans.

It's like I just kind of did it. That's kind of how it's been for me in my times of Discouragement and honestly just like Elijah for me. I don't like to admit it. Because I do know how to plow forward and ignore the negative, right?

But at the same time I Can get discouraged very easily. Yeah. Like I can see God do some crazy awesome things in my life. And then like a day later get discouraged over some little thing that didn't go exactly my way, right?

And I always wonder if that's because like I'm just not truly killing my flesh then daily like the Bible tells us I'm wondering if maybe I get disappointed in those little things that I want. Yeah, I want it.

Yeah, so then it's like man, it's crazy how just a little bit of flesh or pride. It's it's it can cause that disappointment. Like why should I be disappointed over this little thing when God just did this huge thing for me?

Exactly, right or the hugest thing of all of saving my soul, right? It's a backdrop of that I shouldn't be discouraged off but dude, it's crazy. I can get discouraged over the dumbest thing. Yeah, right.

Now I really try not to think I'm pretty good at not hanging on to it. But it's like even just having that reaction like why did what why did I get that client right it right? I know that guy. I'm talking what the heck God I deserve and he's like no, no, whatever.

I'm using one of the examples, right? Yeah, for sure. But I mean, I'm just being real with yeah. Like I think it I think it's really hard for us to I mean as we're going through the sanctification process, you know we're our brains are are really being Sanctified and turned into being more like Jesus, right?

Amen. So I mean it's like When those things happen, you know, I mean, I don't know even even Today, I mean we went to Costco. We spent like so That's a way to get discouraged. Oh, dude, you see that we see coming out of Costco.

Trusting God in Provision and Daily Needs

Like what are we doing? Yeah, exactly. So like so like, okay, here's the thing I'm not a prepper but like I kind of have that prepper Mentality at times and I think with the supply chain issues. We're starting to your wife's thinking.

Yeah. You have discernment, right? Exactly. That is now looked on in our society as being crazy. Exactly. More than two days worth of food. I know right? So anyway, so we're so we're looking at the supply chain issues a few weeks ago and I was just like honey, we really need to go to Costco and just Yes, I mean, I'm talking a big order for and for us I mean, you know, like I've told you we're on a budget weekly 75 bucks.

That's what we stick to, you know, like guys do that. But now I think it might be up to 95 because of prices and inflation and whatnot. But when we go to Costco, we only spend about 200 300 bucks a month.

Okay, that's good. So Today we went and spent 750 bucks, right? You know, it's like we got a bunch of stuff but it's going to last a long time right, you know. At least six to eight weeks. I would I would guess yeah as of right now anyway.

But uh, but you know, I mean that is a blessing sure, you know what I'm saying that we could walk you're able to do there and do something like that and that my family does not have to worry about. Where their next meal is coming from, you know, like we're where you know I can be at work.

I don't have to go to the vending machine ten times to get food I can bring a lunchbox that has food in it, right, you know like a pot roast. Everybody's like where'd you what you have for lunch pot roast?

Yeah, right or we good. We got some steaks, too I can't wait to take those in. Yeah, sorry fellas if you're listening. Oh, we got some new fans to it work. So awesome. Shout out. Yeah, right. Glory to God.

So what? Yeah, but anyway, no, that's a that's a good point though because it's like It's so crazy how we can become discouraged in the light of all the blessings that surround us, right? It's it's kind of like you this is a bad example.

But you hear people say like how you'll have you could get a hundred compliments on social media. But you focus on the one negative. Oh, that's right. Or even like maybe even on this podcast. Yeah, right.

We've had comments on YouTube. Oh great show you guys need more views. Love you. And then one guy's like who are these guys? I know. Yeah, you just focus on that. You're like, wait a minute. Yeah, but it's like we do the same thing with God sometimes like he's lavished all these good things on us.

And then we still can become discouraged and I and I don't even know if it's a if it's a sin really, it's it's a emotional response to I Don't know. I don't know. That's what I'm trying to figure out my head.

David, Moses, and the Psalms of Lament

So Like to become discouraged you see so many men and women of God in the Bible that discouraged all the time. Yeah, but I think the reaction to that was then to turn back to God and say God open bear open God.

I'm so discouraged. My soul aches. What why have you forsaken me? Where are you at? Why are these this happening? Why isn't that happening? Why have you you know held me down? Why have you lifted me up all these things?

That's why I love Psalms because it's so raw. Yeah, he's like doesn't pull any punches. You know exactly how David's feeling and I'm always just like we need a little bit more of that rawness. Especially with men right in the church, right?

I'm not saying we all sit around and you know, I'm open. Open you know, we blow each other's noses. I'm saying I don't know why we'd blow each other's noses. That's weird I said it that way. I was trying to make it as like, I don't know sissy as you could but But at the same time dude, it's a real thing.

Like if you don't deal with doubt and discouragement, it can it can grow into other things. It can fester. It can become resentment. It can become all these things. And it's like so what is our answer to discouragement is is it to turn back to God, right?

I think that's our answer for most things for all things in life. Yeah, I would say what do you think? I think I think that there's a a line that needs to be drawn in the sand at some point. You know, you have to say look like I'm not gonna live in this for one, you know.

Yeah, I mean, I think that there is a time where you're just like man get up eat that angel food, you know. Yeah, open your Bible and see what the Lord says about you, you know. Charismatic right now, but like do it preach it.

I'll go I'll go ahead and say the Pentecostal charismatic thing. Okay, we got a drop coming up. But you know what just realize that like that God is for you. Oh, dang it. It's coming out of me.

Come on. God is for you. Yeah God is for you. He ain't against you.

I'll just say he's not good. I mean look when you go those are all biblical things. You just said though. So yeah. Yeah, I mean like the things that you that you are are put through Are are growing you yeah, yeah that valley that we always talk about.

Yeah praising him in the valley praising him on the mountaintop like not being not just Moping and sitting in that valley like the Lord isn't sitting next to you, you know or carrying you through that valley.

Right. Yeah, like I think there's times around just I I'll admit. Um, I'll say Lord, where are you? Yeah, and it's like After you think about that statement ten minutes later, right when you're in your Bible or praying You're just like why did I just say that?

I know where God is, right, you know. Well, so did David though, but he asked the same thing, right? Yeah, like that's the thing I wrestle with so I I Don't know if God necessarily looks negatively on us being discouraged or doubt that's natural within our walk, isn't it?

Yeah, I'm not saying wallow in it. I'm not saying make it your idol. I'm not saying Lose faith. Yeah, I'm saying it's natural to be discouraged and have doubt. Yep, and doesn't the father that much more love to comfort us in those times and take us through those?

Absolutely, don't you for your son and daughter? Well your future son and your daughters if they have doubt in something or they're discouraging something doesn't it bring you joy to? Encourage them and lift them up.

How much more does our Heavenly Father, right? So it's like this weird thing like people I've met people before they have literally said to me. I've never had doubt in my life I've never been discouraged.

God has brought me peace joy happiness, and I'm like, I don't trust you. Yeah, right. I'm sorry, dude I don't trust you if someone tells me that's the same people as I have never lied. But yeah, you just lie you just like I don't trust people that say like I've never been discouraged.

I've never had doubt I know it's like Dude the greatest men and women in the Bible had doubt they were discouraged. It's like a natural part of our human life. Yeah, and I think the the point is though is to get us back to God.

Yeah, like even in discouragement we can get back to God right we can like you just said the valley we can learn something from it. Yeah, it can you know, yeah, there was one more thing. I want to bring up real quick.

Moses’ Complaint and God’s Promise in Exodus

Just an exodus if you guys get the get the chance. Read what Moses says to God in Exodus 5 22 actually, I'm just gonna read it read it. Okay, so do it. Exodus 5 22. Then Moses turned to the Lord and said Oh Lord.

Why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? He said Moses said to the Lord. Wow. Have you why have you done evil to this be like this is Moses he's talking. Yeah, like like this is Moses who is talking to the Lord in that tone.

You know, and it's and it's just like the guy who'd been in front of the burning bush. Yeah, I am I came down with the tablets like I am and I mean there's so much to that. But then the Lord in chapter 6 starting in verse 1.

But the Lord said to Moses Moses now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh for with a strong hand He will send them out and with a strong hand. He will drive them out of his land so I mean like the Lord always keeps his promises, you know, and it's like even though Moses said that to the Lord like the Lord still Provided away, you know, he still did what he said he was gonna do.

Can you imagine I don't know what kind of parents you had? But I remember when I was in church and I acted up the words that I got in church in my ear was You're gonna get it when you get home. You never wanted to hear You're gonna get it when you get home.

Oh, yeah I knew what that meant. That was like you've done messed up. I asked you to stop. You are not copying. Is that kind of what God is saying to Moses here? Well here but that's not what God says to him though.

Okay, pretty incredible the mercy and grace that God has even words Moses get some attitude. Yeah. Exactly. Like yeah, like he didn't even just crush. Crush Moses, you know, I you didn't kill him there on the head every right to but it was just like Okay, son, you know like okay.

I hear you. I understand you're frustrated. But guess what, you know, like things are gonna get better like don't worry, you know, so. That was. I'm always wondering like when Moses says all this evil that you brought that you brought.

Yeah, what are all those like God is the nicest Santa Claus in the sky ever right people read that verse. Yeah, yeah when you see this Old Testament stuff of God bringing evil to people or bringing an evil spirit to Bring a lying spirit and like yeah, yeah all that crazy man.

Yeah, it's like there's some deep stuff there, dude I love it. Can I take us out on one of my favorite verses? Absolutely. Is that cool? We're trying to keep it concise for you guys tonight because we want to encourage right?

Fixing Our Eyes on the Eternal

I want to talk about a real issue doubt in discouragement. You brought up some great points there and both Elijah and Moses sweet, but 2nd Corinthians 4 16 through 18 I wanted to read to you guys that are listening Verse 16 says this therefore we do not lose heart though.

Outwardly. We are wasting away yet inwardly. We are being renewed day by day talking a juxtaposition there of this of the physical body verse the spirit. Right for our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

Verse 18 so fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen since what is seen is temporary. But what is unseen is eternal. Wow. Mm-hmm. That's so good. It just gets you jazzed up. Let's uh, Let's go out there and be encouraged.

And I would say I don't know how you feel about this Jason but I would say to anyone listening if you have You know if you're if you're especially if you're a man to and you're having trouble with Discouragement or doubt make get get get to with a sound brother in the Lord talk about it.

Absolutely confess it and I'm not saying confess it as in it's a sin like confess your sins. I'm saying Confess just talk about it out loud. Yeah, you know. Work through it pray. I mean It's always better when you have a brother in the Lord.

Going through something with another brother or sister going through with another said a lot of times the you know. Your your brother is probably either going through the same thing has went through it or you know may go through it soon enough.

You know, so it's like yeah, man. Yeah, we need to be there for each other. Love your brother cool guys. Thanks so much for listening to another episode of dead men walking podcast as always you can find us at DMW podcast .com.

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