by David M. Tyler, PhD.
Part 2 of a series on discouragement and biblical interpretation.
Series: Understanding Discouragement
This article is part of a series examining discouragement from a biblical counseling perspective.
Part 1 – Discouragement and the Slow Loss of Hope
Part 2 – Recognizing Spiritual Discouragement: Why It Is Often a Spiritual Battle
Part 3 –
Part 1 of a series on discouragement and biblical interpretation.
Series: Understanding Discouragement
This article is part of a series examining discouragement from a biblical counseling perspective.
Part 1 – Discouragement and the Slow Loss of Hope
Part 2 – Why Discouragement Is Often a Spiritual Battle
Part 3 – Why Change Often Feels Slow Even When God Is at Work
Part 4 – Depression and Discouragement: Clarifying Biblical Categories
What is discouragement according to the Bible?
Discouragement in Scripture […]
Over the years, I have counseled many people who knew what they needed to do but could not bring themselves to do it. They would say, “I need more time.” Or, “I just want to be certain.” Sometimes they were waiting for peace. Sometimes they wanted another opinion. Sometimes they hoped circumstances would change so that the decision would become easier.
There are certainly times when waiting is wise. Scripture commends careful thought, prayer, wise […]
Featured Excerpt
Modern culture treats desire as identity and impulse as authority. Scripture makes a crucial distinction modern psychology rejects: the body influences behavior, but it does not define the self. Jesus calls His followers not to express every impulse, but to rule them in obedience to God.
Part 2
David M Tyler, PhD
This article continues the argument developed in Part 1, Man and the Idea […]
Part 1
By David M Tyler, PhD
Featured Excerpt
Self-expression did not begin with psychology. It began with the serpent’s lie that obedience to God is suppression and self-assertion is freedom.
Modern culture praises self-expression as essential to mental health, authenticity, and personal freedom. To suppress one’s desires is said to be harmful, even immoral. But Scripture tells a very different story. The Bible traces the idea of self-expression not to human flourishing, but to human rebellion.
To understand the danger of this philosophy, we must […]
Are men and women equal in the Bible?
Scripture answers clearly: yes. Men and women are equal in dignity, value, and standing before God because both are created in His image. At the same time, Scripture teaches that God created men and women different by design and gave them distinct responsibilities. Biblical equality does not require sameness.
Are men and women equal in the Bible?
Scripture answers […]
✅ FEATURED EXCERPT
In a culture drowning in confusion and contradiction, Christians must learn to think clearly. This article explains the three basic laws of logic, shows how they reflect God’s character, and demonstrates why clear thinking is essential for biblical counseling, discipleship, and everyday Christian living.
by David M Tyler, PhD
Clear thinking seems to be in short supply today. Feelings often override facts. Personal experience is treated as greater than truth. Culture tells us that everyone can “create their own reality,” and […]
By David M. Tyler, PhD
It is not uncommon to find a Christian man or woman married to an unbeliever. There are several ways this can happen. Sometimes a believer ignores the plain teaching of Scripture that says believers must only marry “in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7:39). At other times, two unbelievers marry, and later one of them comes to faith in Christ. Either way, being unequally yoked in marriage brings spiritual challenges that require patience, humility, and steadfast obedience to God’s Word.
Embracing God’s Design for Raising Godly Children with Grace and Faithfulness
By David M. Tyler, PhD
Parenting begins with a right view of children. Scripture does not portray children as interruptions to the parents’ lives or obstacles to personal fulfillment. God says, “Children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward” (Psalm 127:3). They are priceless gifts, entrusted […]
By David M. Tyler, PhD
Every Christian who desires to serve Christ will face seasons of hardship. These trials are not meaningless. God uses suffering to shape His people, forming, maturing, and equipping believers so they can comfort others with the comfort they’ve received.
Someone once said, “Preparation for ministry cannot be gotten from a degree or diploma. It cannot be learned in college or seminary… Our trials and sorrows become our credentials.”
That statement […]
David M. Tyler has a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Biblical Counseling. He is the Director of Gateway Biblical Counseling and Training Center in Fairview Heights, Illinois…
© 2026 • David M. Tyler, Ph. D. • All Rights Reserved • Developed by The Creative Christian Copywriter
