Ever felt like giving up on this whole faith thing? You're in good company. The Apostle Paul—the guy who wrote half the New Testament—got so discouraged he basically told his own people to get lost.
In this refreshingly honest conversation, Dave Connolly takes us into Acts 18 and explores what happened when Paul hit rock bottom in Corinth. Rather than glossing over the struggle, Luke (who wrote Acts) shows us Paul at his lowest—and how God met him there.
Journey with us through:
[05:11] Dave's teaching on Paul's discouragement in Corinth
[13:36] Conversation Street: honest talk about struggling with faith
[19:35] Practical ways to encourage yourself in God
[37:18] The meaning of 'encourage' and Romans 8
[45:20] Steps you can take this week
Dave sets the scene: Paul arrives in Corinth after a rough time in Athens. Exhausted. Facing constant hostility. And in verse 6, he snaps.
"Have you ever become discouraged while you're trying to serve God or even just trying to live the Christian life? I mean that can be tough in itself."
What we discover:
Key takeaway: If the Apostle Paul struggled, maybe there's hope for the rest of us.
In verses 9-10, God speaks to Paul in a vision with words that change everything—not by fixing circumstances, but by strengthening Paul from the inside.
"Do not be afraid. Keep on speaking. Do not be silent. For I am with you and no one is going to attack you or harm you because I have many people in that city."
What God promises:
Key takeaway: God doesn't always change our circumstances—he strengthens us to face them.
Sharon shares her approach: continuing to pray, read the Bible, and journal even when you don't feel like it. Pouring out your heart honestly rather than pretending everything's fine.
"You keep going knowing that actually just because I'm feeling discouraged doesn't mean that life is bad."
Practical approaches:
Key takeaway: Encouraging yourself isn't passive—it takes intentional action.
Matt unpacks the word 'encourage'—made up of 'en' (within, or God within) and 'courage.' To encourage is to stir up the gift of God that's already inside you.
"I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come... shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
What Paul discovered:
Key takeaway: The courage isn't yours to manufacture—it's God's to give.
Matt shares his practical method: study five or six verses on a topic, make notes, prepare them as a talk, then actually speak them...
