The Gift of Encouragement
In a world that has experienced so much turbulence, especially these last few years, it’s easy to become discouraged even as believers. The ravages of the pandemic, political and social unrest, sky-high inflation and the dismal economy, natural disasters…those murder hornets of 2020 are way down the list at this point…it all takes its toll on us. Add to that the potential personal struggles of family strife, illness, major moves or upheavals, job losses, or just the wear-and-tear of a stressful life and it can feel overwhelming.
God, where are you?
Yet God is at work in all of it – I believe that. And He promises that he’s working all things for good, for those who love Him.
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28
Does that mean all things will ” feel” good? No, unfortunately. I think it means good, somehow, will come out of them because our heavenly Father loves and cares for us.
I believe one of the ways He brings good is through other people. We are his hands and feet to the world. We should be loving others and building them up rather than pointing fingers and tearing them down. Our world so needs honest and sincere encouragement!
(Side note: This does not mean we must agree with everything or compromise our beliefs, but we can disagree and still do so in a kind and gentle way. We don’t have to quarrel about it or strike out and be hurtful. We may challenge a situation or the idea and yet still show God’s love to the person.)
God’s encouragement
Encouragement comes in many forms and God can use all of us to make a difference to others, whatever our situation is in life. I experienced a beautiful example this morning.
As I’ve mentioned in earlier posts, I’ve felt this calling in my heart to help or encourage others somehow. Recently, one of my husband’s relatives who I know but not well was diagnosed with cancer. She’s been undergoing radiation and chemo and doesn’t have much family of her own around her. My heart has been burdened to share God’s love with her. I don’t live near her so have been texting her the daily bible verse I receive on my phone and often adding a little of my thoughts along with it to make it more personal. I pray regularly for her and also pray that God’s word that I forward to her would nourish and encourage her.
We’ve corresponded back and forth briefly by text a few times. She recently completed her chemo and also shared that her radiation seems to be working and that a burden had been lifted. At the same time I congratulated her on that good news, I mentioned that I’d tested positive for Covid and so was hibernating in my room trying to keep my family from getting it.
My Covid diagnosis is nowhere near the same level as her cancer diagnosis! Still, being cooped up in a 10′ x 11′ room for six days and counting (other than the brief moments when I don the N95 and venture out to grab food or use the bathroom) is admittedly making me a bit stir-crazy. It’s easy for the mind to wander – sometimes to thoughts that aren’t very helpful or uplifting.
I was greeted this morning by a text from her, sharing a prayer she’d found online to encourage ME! I don’t know where she pulled it from so can’t give proper credit but will simply say I did not write it. Notice how it clings to God’s promises, reminding us that we can hand our burdens to Him and he will give us His peace, and to take one day at a time.
Dear God,
Things haven’t been easy for me lately, and I feel so overwhelmed, frustrated, and stressed out. The difficulties I’m facing weigh on my mind, my heart and my shoulders, and because of that I can’t seem to get anything right or even sleep at night, and that makes me weary and stressed out even more. God you said we should come to you with our heavy burdens and you will give us rest. So, God, I come to you. Take my burdens and my frustrations, and grant me peace. Take away this stress I feel and restore my soul. Everything around me is crumbling, God, but I hope in you. Help me to relax and surrender it all to you. Give me strength and clarity of mind and teach me to take each day at a time. Thank you, Lord, for your everlasting love. Amen.
She has a lot on her plate right now. She didn’t have to take the extra time to forward it to me. What if she had let concern that I wouldn’t appreciate it keep her from sharing? The opportunity would have been missed. But she did send it. Since I believe God works in all things, I believe He worked in this one, too. And I was encouraged through it. So simple, and yet so powerful!
God works in mysterious ways
I then went to my prayer closet for my morning devotions. I’m currently using a devotional called “Morning & Evening” with writings by Charles Spurgeon which contains, not coincidentally, one devotion for each morning and one for each evening. The bible verse for this morning’s reading is:
Casting all your care upon Him; for he careth for you.
1 Peter 5:7
Wow! Didn’t we just sort of address this with the prayer that was forwarded to me?
Mr. Spurgeon then goes on to say (excerpts from his devotion for today):
“He who is the feeder of sparrows, will also furnish you with what you need.”
“Doubt not His grace because of thy tribulation, but believe that He loveth thee as much in seasons of trouble as in times of happiness.”
“Can you trust Him for your soul, and not for your body?”
It’s like God just weaved everything together this morning! My Covid (which, among other things, is weighting on me a bit), the forwarded prayer of encouragement, and then today’s Spurgeon devotion.
It’s these instances that I find helpful to document (currently, on my Notes app on the iPhone) so that when I get forgetful in the future – and I will – I can pull them up and refresh my memory of God’s goodness and provision and how He works through others.
I pray that He would encourage you today as you read this, and that He would lead you to be an encouragement to others as well. Never underestimate the difference you can make with God’s help!
Regarding the Spurgeon devotional (Morning & Evening) linked above, as an Amazon Associate I may receive a small commission if the link is used for a purchase. However, I don’t link anything that I don’t already own and use myself.
