One of my children has the gift of encouragement. I remember when she was just a young toddler, saying, “Good job, Mommy!” as she watched me doing sit ups, trying to regain some abdominal muscles! Those muscles still haven’t returned, ha!
Her encouraging nature has been noticed by her friends, teachers and other adults. It truly is a gift from God that I hope she will continue to use as she enters the teen years and adulthood.
Even just a few weeks ago, I had a decision that I needed to make so I asked her opinion about it. She was so quick to encourage me saying, “Mom, you would be so good at that!” It was a decision that I felt unsure about because I wasn’t sure if I could really offer anything.
I didn’t really believe in myself, but she did.
In the end, her encouragement helped me to make the decision.
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Have you ever been there? When you don’t believe in yourself, but someone else stands in the gap for you? When someone else’s encouragement and cheering causes you to step into something new? When you hesitate, they whisper in your ear, “You’ve got this.”
God has generously given me many people along my journey of life to be the voice of encouragement when I’m not sure.
But the question I have for you, and me, is – are you being the voice of encouragement for another?
Your voice in their ear matters. It matters for them, but it’s bigger than that. Your voice of encouragement can shift eternity.
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Paul, who was once known for his brutality toward Christians, initially wasn’t accepted by the disciples in Jerusalem because they were afraid of him, but Barnabas stepped in the gap for him. He encouraged the disciples to listen to Paul and he encouraged Paul to share. And because of that, God unleashed the gospel message through Paul.
Barnabas believed in Paul. Imagine what would have happened if Barnabas hadn’t stepped in with his encouragement.
Our encouragement to others matters.
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“How can you tell if someone needs encouragement?”
“If they are breathing.”
We all need encouragement. Be the voice of it.
Let’s cheer each other on.
“So encourage one another and build each other up…” 1 Thessalonians 5:11
God, may we be encouragers for your glory.
Your message on encouragement is so important because encouragement spurs people on to serve the Lord and glorify Him. One of the ministries of the Holy Spirit is encouragement. Our time in this world is short and we can’t waste it in negativity! We must press on to run the race set before us.