2014-0102 - encouragement

I would like to extend a huge thank you to all of my friends and family who have been so supportive.  I received many very kind words of encouragement in response to my very first ever blog post.  I do have to admit that it was fun to see those words in print knowing that they had been published to the internet!  So... now you know...  I am very easily amused, hahaha!

I would like to talk to you about something God has placed on my heart today:  ENCOUR'AGEMENT, noun The act of giving courage, or confidence of success; incitement to action or to practice; incentive.  (http://webstersdictionary1828.com/Home?word=Encourage).

Encouragement can take the form of the least little thing but it is so important to each of our lives.  A little Godly advice from a friend, a kind word from an acquaintance, or a cheerful attitude from someone we look up to helps to validate our feelings of worth, of accomplishment, and of belonging.  A smile, a touch, lifting an eyebrow, or even the slightest nod can mean a huge difference in how we perceive the world and our place in it.

God told Moses to charge Joshua (or to give him Gods instructions) and encourage him, and to strengthen him.  (Deuteronomy 1:38 and 3:28).  God told Moses to tell Joshua what needed to be done and then to encourage him, or give him the courage, to do it!  God knew that Joshua would be afraid of the responsibility placed on his shoulders and that someone needed to talk him into accepting that responsibility and running with it.  There is power in encouragement.

Encouragement: The Gift of Love

We can encourage, or inspire, others to good, or – with very little effort at all – we can encourage, or persuade, them to evil.  We must be so careful with our motives.  I always feel great when someone says I did a good job or takes the time to – genuinely – thank me for my efforts.  It makes me want to keep up the good work!  But, please don’t flatter me, or butter me up, just to manipulate me into doing your bidding.

Encouragement is a gift.  God encourages me and I need to encourage others.  Jesus told the scribes that the most important commandment was that we should love God and that the second most important was that we should love each other.  

(Mark 12:28-31)  He intends for us to do two things:

1.  To love God (our source of encouragement).

2.  To love others (and to encourage them) in their daily lives.

My prayer for today…  Dear Lord, help me to be more aware of others and their needs.  Help me to reach out and encourage others, to cheer them on, to offer them courage, so they can see how much You love them.  Help me appreciate all that is done for me and to love and encourage the people You have placed in my life.