Cast Down? Diagnosing Spiritual Discouragement (8)

(5b) Another source of spiritual discouragement is when we depend too much upon the opinions of other men. Often, even good men are too much troubled with the unjust censures of others. It is the vain man who lives more to other's opinion of them than to conscience. It cannot be that he should long enjoy settled quiet, because those in whose good opinion he desires to dwell, are ready often to take up contrary opinions of him for the slightest grounds.
(5c) Another cause for spiritual discouragement is when we look too much and too long upon the ill in ourselves and others. We may even fix our eyes too long upon sin itself. Much more may we err in poring too much upon our afflictions. We naturally mind one hardship more than a hundred favours, dwelling over long upon the sore.
Similarly, our minds may be taken up in the consideration of the miseries of the times at home and abroad, as if Christ did not rule in the midst of his enemies and would not help all in due time. Christians forget that their perfect rest is kept for the hereafter, in heaven. But now for the most part we are in an afflicted and conflicted condition. Here we are in a sea, where nearly all we can look for are storms. At times we usurp God and take his office upon ourselves by predicting the outcome of things. Our part is only to do our work and be quiet, as children when they please their parents take no further thought.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
The Soul's Conflict with Itself, Works, vol. 1, p. 141
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