Even though the situation may still be in the midst of a storm, I do not lose heart. As I pray in faith, my soul enjoys deep peace, and I praise God's victory in advance!

 

Even though the situation may still be in the midst of a storm, I do not lose heart.  As I pray in faith, my soul enjoys deep peace, and I praise God's victory in advance!

 

 

 

 

“Then Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up” (Luke 18:1).

 

 

(1)    As I read Luke 18:1 in the Korean Bible today, my attention was drawn to the word “lose heart” that Jesus used.  Perhaps the reason is that there have been many times in the past when I became discouraged with myself.

 

(a)    The Greek word translated as “lose heart” is ἐνκακεῖν (enkakein), which means “to lose heart,” “to become weary,” or “to give up.”  Jesus said “μὴ ἐνκακεῖν” (mē enkakein) (v. 1), which the Korean Revised Version translates as “do not lose heart.”  English translations render it as “not to lose heart” (NASB) or “not give up” (NIV)

 

1.       Etymological Structure of the Word

 

This word is a compound formed from a prefix and a root word:

 

ἐν (en): “in,” “within” + κακός (kakos): “evil,” “bad,” “cowardly”

 

Combined, the literal sense is: “to fall into evil,” or “to become weak-hearted and cowardly because circumstances have become difficult.”

In other words, it describes a condition in which a person loses the good motivation and zeal they once possessed and, under the pressure of circumstances, stops fulfilling spiritual commitments or actions.

 

2.       The Context of Luke 18:1

 

Jesus told the Parable of the Persistent Widow in order to teach His disciples that they “should always pray and not lose heart (ἐνκακεῖν).”  Here, losing heart refers to much more than simply feeling sad or depressed. It points to a spiritual crisis such as:

 

Ceasing to pray: Feeling that answers to prayer are delayed and concluding, “There is no use praying anymore.”

 

Weariness and exhaustion: Becoming spiritually depleted and losing the strength to continue doing good.

 

Loss of trust: Falling into spiritual burnout through doubting God's goodness and eventually abandoning prayer.

 

3.       Other Uses in the New Testament

 

Paul frequently used this word when encouraging believers who were becoming spiritually weary or tempted to give up while doing good:

 

(Gal. 6:9) “Let us not become weary (ἐνκακῶμεν) in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

 

(2 Thess. 3:13) “And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire (ἐνκακήσητε) of doing what is good.”

 

Jesus knew that the greatest enemy believers would face when prayer seemed unable to change their circumstances was precisely this “enkakein”—discouragement and surrender.  Therefore, He exhorted His followers through this word to continue crying out to God and trusting His goodness until the very end.

(i)       As I meditate on this word “lose heart” (ἐνκακεῖν, enkakein), I believe that when we earnestly pray to God and yet our circumstances do not change as we hoped—in fact, when they seem to grow worse and worse—our hearts can easily become weak.  We may begin to think, “There is no point in praying anymore,” and experience spiritual exhaustion that leads us to give up praying altogether.  What is especially dangerous in that experience is that we begin to doubt God's goodness.  At this point, I began meditating on the Greek words related to “doubt,” because I believe that discouragement and doubt are closely connected.

 

·            When circumstances worsen before our eyes, discouragement (ἐνκακεῖν, enkakein) inevitably leads to doubt in God and produces spiritual exhaustion.  Artificial intelligence explained the connection between these two concepts in three stages through the meanings of the original Greek words:

 

a.       Stage One: A Divided Heart Caused by Deteriorating Circumstances – Diakrinō (διακρίνω)

 

When circumstances worsen instead of improving, believers may begin to think: “Is God really hearing my prayers?”  The Bible describes this kind of doubt with the word διακρίνω (diakrinō).

 

Meaning of the Word: It means: “to be divided between two opinions,” “to waver”, “to judge or evaluate”

 

Connection to Discouragement: When enkakein (becoming weakened and discouraged by circumstances) sets in, a previously steadfast heart becomes divided between: God's faithfulness, and the worsening reality before one's eyes.  Instead of trusting God's sovereignty, a person begins judging God's goodness according to visible circumstances.  Doubt begins when we place ourselves in the judge's seat.

 

Biblical Warning James 1:6 says: “But he must ask in faith without any doubting (διακρινόμενος, diakrinomenos), for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.”

b.       Stage Two: Loss of Spiritual Direction – Distazō (διστάζω)

 

As circumstances continue to worsen, the divided heart begins to hesitate and loses its sense of direction.  The Greek word for this kind of doubt is διστάζω (distazō).

 

Meaning of the Word: This word is derived from: δίς (dis) = “two” + στάσις (stasis) = “standing”.  Thus, it literally means: “to stand between two paths and not know which way to go.”

 

Connection to Discouragement: When spiritual burnout (enkakein) leads a person to stop praying, they become trapped between two alternatives: Should I continue seeking God through prayer?  Or should I solve this through worldly methods?  Standing motionless between these two roads (distazō), the believer enters a state of spiritual paralysis. The feet that were once walking toward God stop moving.

 

Biblical Warning: Jesus used this word when speaking to Peter, who began sinking after seeing the wind and waves while walking on water: “You of little faith, why did you doubt (ἐδίστασας, edistasas)?” (Mt. 14:31)  The violent wind of reality—the worsening situation—caused Peter to lose heart, which ultimately led him into spiritual hesitation (distazō).

 

c.       Stage Three: Departing from God's Embrace – Apistia (ἀπιστία)

 

The final destination of discouragement and doubt is the most devastating form of all: distrust in God's goodness, namely ἀπιστία (apistia).

 

Meaning of the Word: This word combines: ἀ (a-) = a negative prefix + πίστις (pistis) = faith, trust.  Together they signify: “a state in which a relationship of trust has been completely broken.”

 

Connection to Discouragement: If a person succumbs to enkakein and concludes that prayer is useless, he may ultimately arrive at the devastating conclusion that God is like the unjust judge—either uninterested in him or incapable of helping him.  At that point, the relational bond of faith between the believer and God is severed, resulting in unbelief (apistia).

 

Conclusion: The Real Reason Behind Jesus' Question in Luke 18:8

 

When we consider all of these connections, Jesus' concluding question in the parable becomes strikingly precise: “However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith (πίστις, pistis) on the earth?” (Lk. 18:8)

 

Jesus knew that when answers to prayer seem delayed and circumstances appear to worsen, believers could fall into a spiritual domino effect: Discouragement (enkakein), A divided heart (diakrinō), Spiritual hesitation (distazō), Unbelief (apistia).  Therefore, even when circumstances deteriorate, the Lord challenges us to remain in the place of prayer and to preserve that faith (pistis) which continues trusting in the goodness of God until the very end (Internet).

 

(ii)        As I meditated on this word “lose heart” [ἐνκακεῖν (enkakein)] (Lk. 18:1), I became curious about the Hebrew word translated as “cast down” or “discouraged” in Psalm 42:5, 11 and Psalm 43:5, and how it might be related to this Greek term.

 

             The Hebrew word behind the psalmist's confession, “Why are you cast down, O my soul?” in Psalm 42:5, 11 and Psalm 43:5, and the Greek word “enkakein” (ἐνκακεῖν) in Luke 18:1 form a remarkable spiritual parallel that spans both the Old and New Testaments.

 

1.       The Hebrew Word for Discouragement in Psalms 42 and 43: Shachach (שָׁחַח)

 

The Hebrew word translated as “cast down” or “discouraged” in these psalms is Shachach (שָׁחַח).

 

        Original Meaning: It means: “to bend down,” “to bow low,” “to sink down.”

 

The Condition Described in the Psalm: The word vividly portrays a soul that has been completely crushed and pressed down under the weight of severe external pressures and afflictions, collapsing to the ground under their burden.

 

Particularly in verse 7, where the psalmist confesses, “Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; all Your waves and breakers have swept over me,” the word describes a miserable spiritual condition in which the soul has sunk deeply beneath the waves of suffering and affliction.

 

2.       The Relationship Between the Greek Enkakein and the Hebrew Shachach

 

Although these two words come from different languages and express themselves differently, they are perfectly connected in terms of the cause and effect of spiritual depression experienced by believers in times of suffering.

 

①      When “Being Crushed” (Shachach) Continues, “Giving Up” (Enkakein) Follows

 

Shachach in the Psalms: This refers to the soul being bent down and crushed under the overwhelming weight of life's problems—such as the mockery of enemies and worsening circumstances.

 

Enkakein in Luke: When that crushed condition (shachach) remains unresolved and continues for a prolonged period, the person begins to think: “It's all over now. There is no use praying anymore.”  His strength becomes depleted, and he spiritually lets go, giving up in exhaustion.

 

Their Connection: Shachach describes the external and internal pressures that cause the soul to crouch under suffering.  Enkakein describes the resulting volitional surrender—the temptation to abandon the place of prayer because of that pressure.

 

②      It Is a Battle of Faith Concerning God's Character (“His Face”)

When the psalmist experiences shachach (discouragement), he is tormented by the taunts of his enemies: “Where is your God?” (Ps. 42:3)  In other words, he faces the fundamental crisis of wondering: “Has God forgotten me?”—a doubt concerning God's goodness. 

 

The reason Jesus warned against enkakein (losing heart) through His parable is essentially the same. When answers are delayed, the question inevitably arises: “Is God truly good?”

 

The Same Solution: When discouraged, the psalmist declares to himself: “Put your hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance.”  In the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint), this “help” is translated in connection with God's face (prosopon).  In other words, the only key to overcoming both shachach and enkakein is to fix our eyes not on circumstances, but on the face of God—His presence and His character.

 

3.       The Domino Effect of Spiritual Decline Experienced by Believers in Suffering

 

When a believer encounters a crisis in which circumstances deteriorate contrary to expectations, the human soul is often unable to withstand the crushing weight of affliction and enters the stage of Shachach (שָׁחַח)—a condition of spiritual oppression in which the soul collapses and lies prostrate under the burden.

 

When this crushing pressure continues, the weakness of human reasoning begins to waver between God's goodness and the worsening reality.  The heart becomes divided into two directions, entering the stage of Diakrino (διακρίνω)—the beginning of doubt.  From there, the believer progresses to the stage of Distazo (διστάζω)—spiritual hesitation—becoming paralyzed between the path of faith and the path of the world.

 

A heart shaken by the winds of circumstance and deprived of spiritual direction eventually concludes: “There is no use praying anymore.”  At this point, the person reaches the stage of Enkakein (ἐνκακεῖν)—spiritual exhaustion and the abandonment of prayer.  The zeal and energy that once fueled prayer are completely drained away, and the believer voluntarily lets go.  Finally, at the end of this journey of discouragement, the believer falls into the most devastating stage of all: Apistia (ἀπιστία)—spiritual shipwreck.  The relationship of trust in God's character and sovereignty is completely broken, and God comes to be viewed like the unjust judge.

 

The psalmist, however, broke this chain before it could lead to enkakein.  At the very moment when his soul had been pressed down into shachach, he preached to himself: “Why are you cast down, O my soul?  Put your hope in God.”  By speaking truth to his own soul, he severed the link that would have led to surrender.

 

Likewise, Jesus warned His disciples beforehand that when their souls became crushed beneath the weight of life's realities, they were not to focus on a world that resembles the unjust judge, but rather to trust their good Father and thereby avoid falling into the trap of enkakein—losing heart and giving up.

 

(iii)    Then what are the stages of the faith-response that reverses this vicious cycle of discouragement and doubt?

 

             The following is a five-stage process of faith that precisely reverses the map of a believer’s spiritual decline, breaking the vicious cycle of discouragement and doubt and leading to victory.  It incorporates both the way the psalmist preached to himself in the midst of despair and the principle of faith that Jesus required in Luke 18 (Internet):

 

1.       Stage One [A Change of Focus]: Looking Upon God’s Face (His Character)

 

Principle of the Reverse Response: This is the stage in which we turn our eyes away from worsening circumstances and begin to look upon God's good face and character at the very moment of shachach, when our souls feel crushed to the ground.

 

Spiritual Action: We remember with absolute confidence: “The God who hears my prayers is the good Father who did not spare even His only begotten Son.”  We anchor our souls in the presence of God, who is greater than the waves of our circumstances.

 

2.       Stage Two [Preaching to the Soul]: Cutting Off the Division of Heart (Diakrino) with the Word

 

Principle of the Reverse Response: Instead of surrendering our hearts to the voice of circumstances that says, “There is no use praying anymore,” and to the doubts of diakrino, we begin to powerfully proclaim God's Word to our own souls (self-preaching).

 

Spiritual Action: Just as the psalmist cried out: “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God” (Ps. 42:5), we subdue our turbulent emotions with declarations of faith.

 

3.       Stage Three [A Deliberate Step of the Will]: Stopping the Hesitation (Distazo) and Advancing to the Place of Prayer

 

Principle of the Reverse Response: This is the stage of deliberate decision in which we break free from the spiritual paralysis of distazo—the hesitation caused by the fierce winds of reality—and once again bow our knees in prayer.

 

Spiritual Action: Like Peter walking on the water, fixing his eyes on Jesus rather than on the wind and waves, we step forward intentionally.  Even when our emotions do not cooperate, we hold firmly to God's promises and enter our prayer closet by an act of the will.

 

4.       Stage Four [Persistent Petition]: Day-and-Night Prayer That Breaks Through Discouragement (Enkakein)

 

Principle of the Reverse Response: This is the stage in which we persevere through the silence when prayer seems unanswered, breaking through the trap of spiritual exhaustion (enkakein) and crying out to God until the end, just as the widow overcame the unjust judge.

Spiritual Action: We take hold of the Lord's promise: “Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night?” (Lk. 18:7)  Using that promise as our weapon, we refuse to let go of the cord of prayer and continue replenishing our spiritual strength until God's answer comes.

 

5.       Stage Five [The Fulfillment of the Promise]: The Completion of Genuine Faith (Pistis) That Overcomes Unbelief (Apistia)

 

Principle of the Reverse Response: This is the stage of pistis (faith) in which a complete relationship of trust with God is restored. Regardless of circumstances, we move forward with thanksgiving, believing that God has already accomplished what He has promised.

 

Spiritual Action: We become the very people possessing the “faith (pistis)” that Jesus said He would be looking for when He returns.  Even though circumstances may still be in the midst of a storm, our souls enjoy deep peace, and we praise God's victory in advance (Internet).