overwork or the emotional drain of handling difficult personal relationships, for example, can be sources of frustration and depression. Big or small, life’s hardships can lead us to feelings of helplessness and discouragement. We can “grow weary and lose heart” (12:3). We can feel as though our arms are dragging on the ground and our knees are wobbly (12:12). A natural impulse is simply to give up when the going gets tough. Blinded by pain, our hearts descend into a darkness of doubt and self-deception.