Luther on Despair, from Comfort for Christians

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The Blessing of Despair It’s easy to be discouraged, and even to fall into despair sometimes. Yet in these darkest times, we can choose to remember the goodness and faithfulness of our Father, the one true God who made you, and cares for you. May He bless you with comfort and peace today and always. “It is proper that we know ourselves, and the more thoroughly we do this the better; but you must not reject grace because of your sins. For if you find that your conscience struggles and would drive you to despair, then you are most comfortable and fortunate; then you will find the consolation in your conscience, and say like Micah, 7:18-19: “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and casts their sins into the sea and drowns them?” “All gods that do not take away sin are idols. Therefore Micah well says, that there is no God like our God; for other gods wish to discover righteousness, but our God brings it; God the Lord brings it and does not discover it. Therefore you must not despair, although your conscience struggles and feels its sins; for the more disgraced you are, the quicker God imparts grace. – Martin Luther from Martin Luther’s Church Postil, “Fifth Sunday After Trinity. Luke 3:1-11.”