“One of my best friends,” Stan commented one morning during breakfast, “has a real gift for encouragement.”
“You mean like being able to encourage other people?” I asked.
“Yeah, that’s it,” Stan replied. “I just love being around him because he’s always a great source of encouragement.”
“Encouragement for what?” I asked.
“Whatever,” Stan replied. “Whatever anyone, including me, may need, this friend seems able to offer the right encouragement.”
“I would like to be like that,” I said, “but it doesn’t seem to be one of my gifts.”
“You might be surprised,” Stan replied. “Maybe try what my friend told me about how to know if someone needs encouragement.”
“What’s that? How can I know if someone needs encouragement?”
“Check to see if they’re breathing,” Stan replied with a smile. “If they’re breathing, it’s safe to say they most likely need some sort of encouragement!”
__________________________________
Bible verses to consider:
Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11.
Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus. Romans 15:5.
But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:13.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for your free and gracious provision of life eternally with you that encourages me for the future and for my life on this side of eternity. I confess that too often I don’t encourage others to accept your provision, and I don’t encourage others to grow in their faith, or in any other way they need. Please forgive that foolishness. Help me follow every step of your lead so I do, in fact, encourage others exactly as they need and you intend. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Are you encouraged because you have accepted God’s free and gracious provision of life eternally with Him and you know where you are going? If no, why do you want to remain separated from Him? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with encouraging others to accept God’s provision for them on both sides of eternity? How are you doing with encouraging them in other ways? If you sense the need for change with any of this, how is that change going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?