Encouragement 1
Now that we are done with double-mindedness, I want to move onto a series about the words we speak. We talk all the time....well, some of us do!.... and what we say is a significant part of our lives. Over the next several months we will focus on topics and phrases that we are to speak as followers of Jesus. Today, it's encouraging words!
Yesterday, my daughter and I were hiking through some beautiful forest when we got pretty tired. We had a goal to reach and we did! But when we reached it, we had to turn around and come back and that wasn't easy. So, I started to encourage her saying things like "keep walking", "you can do it"; and "we will get there". Then we started to think about words that would discourage us. A phrase she came up with was, "you should have known better than to push yourself so hard, now you aren't going to be able to make it back". Hopeless and condemning, discouragement drains the life out of us while encouragment gives us strength to persevere. Encouragement tells us to "continue on"; while discouragement says, "give up".
In the early church, Paul and his companions, went from city to city preaching, teaching, and encouraging. In Acts 14 we find that they "returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God" (verses 21b-22). Honest, realistic, and hopeful, encouragement points us towards what really matters - continuing on in trusting God.
Are you in need of encouragement? If so, where can you find it? Asked the Lord to provide you encouragement. Maybe you need to share your temptation to "give up" with a trusted Christian. Ask yourself: am I open to hearing the message that I need to persevere, that it may be very difficult but with God's help, I can continue on?
Since our focus is the words we speak, think about the people you know. Does someone need encouragment? If so, may I suggest taking some time to pray for them and then to offer words of encouragement to them - maybe through a phone call, visit, or email. God desires us to encourage one another. I know we sure need it!
Yesterday, my daughter and I were hiking through some beautiful forest when we got pretty tired. We had a goal to reach and we did! But when we reached it, we had to turn around and come back and that wasn't easy. So, I started to encourage her saying things like "keep walking", "you can do it"; and "we will get there". Then we started to think about words that would discourage us. A phrase she came up with was, "you should have known better than to push yourself so hard, now you aren't going to be able to make it back". Hopeless and condemning, discouragement drains the life out of us while encouragment gives us strength to persevere. Encouragement tells us to "continue on"; while discouragement says, "give up".
In the early church, Paul and his companions, went from city to city preaching, teaching, and encouraging. In Acts 14 we find that they "returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God" (verses 21b-22). Honest, realistic, and hopeful, encouragement points us towards what really matters - continuing on in trusting God.
Are you in need of encouragement? If so, where can you find it? Asked the Lord to provide you encouragement. Maybe you need to share your temptation to "give up" with a trusted Christian. Ask yourself: am I open to hearing the message that I need to persevere, that it may be very difficult but with God's help, I can continue on?
Since our focus is the words we speak, think about the people you know. Does someone need encouragment? If so, may I suggest taking some time to pray for them and then to offer words of encouragement to them - maybe through a phone call, visit, or email. God desires us to encourage one another. I know we sure need it!
I really appreciated reading this entry this week. Your tangible example of words you could have chosen to say on your walk made me realise how many discouraging things we can tell ourselves and how hard it can be to make sure we say encouraging things not only to others but also to ourselves.
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