The Gift of Encouragement
Dear Friends,
My sister and I were blessed to grow up in a home where our parents always encouraged us. We were encouraged to do our best, encouraged in our efforts, encouraged to be the person God wanted us to be and to live the life God intended for us. We were encouraged in our hopes and ambitions and to pursue our dreams. We were encouraged to keep going when we encountered setbacks. This encouragement helped us to see ourselves as God sees us, as someone worth loving and someone of value.
It helped me to also see how important it is to regularly encourage my own children. I encourage my daughter Jess when she shows me a piece of homework that she has worked hard on and tried her best. I did this again just recently and in the smile she gave me I could almost see evidence of how it was nourishing and nurturing her very being. It installed some confidence and belief in herself that she had done well. Recently too with my son, Josh, I told him how proud I was when he had made a decision that while right, had not been easy to make. I believe it's important to encourage our children so that they have the courage to make difficult decisions in life.
When I trained as a teacher I again learnt the value of encouraging my pupils. So many needed encouragement for their efforts and their behaviour and to realise their own self-worth. The results when you encourage children are wonderful, it makes them believe they can achieve more and that they do have the ability to behave well. Too many children are told that they are worthless, that they are stupid, that they're no good, and if they're told it enough times then they begin to believe it as truth and act on it.
We need regular encouragement as much as children do, and yet, though I'm determined to encourage children, for some reason I think (and wrongly so) that it's just not necessary to encourage adults.
I'm aware over the last few weeks just how much I've personally been blessed by various people encouraging me. I really feel as though it's been showered on me and I can't tell you how much it has meant to me, whether it's been face to face, or by email, texts, phone calls. And, whether they've known it or not, I know that ultimately it's been God encouraging me through them. So if I know how much encouragement means to me, why am I not doing it more for others?
The bible shows us how important it is that we encourage one another. For example, Paul, in his letter to the Thessalonians writes "and we sent Timothy to visit you. He is our brother and God’s co-worker in proclaiming the Good News of Christ. We sent him to strengthen you, to encourage you in your faith," 1 Thessalonians 3:2 (NLT) and later in that letter he writes "11 For you know how, like a father with his children, 12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory." 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12. (ESV) Our God is a God who encourages and there are examples of this throughout the bible, just one example of this was when God encouraged Joshua to take over from Moses as leader of the Israelites (Joshua 1:1-9). In Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians he writes "May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word." 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (NIV).
When we give others encouragement it helps them to continue in their Christian journey, it strengthens their resolve and commitment to their faith, when we encourage them in how they are seeking to use the gifts and talents God has given them, it affirms for them that they are doing what God has called them to do and it strengthens them in their service. Encouragement helps people to live courageously, it helps them to persevere during times of difficulty, it encourages them to continue to be obedient to God and it comforts them in times of trouble.
It costs us very little effort to encourage another person when compared with how much it means to the one who receives the encouragement. Let's determine together to be regular encouragers.
To Think About:
What has it meant to you when someone has taken the time to encourage you?
Who has God used to be an encouragement to you? Take some time in prayer thanking God for that person in your life.
Ask God this coming week to place on your heart someone who is in need of encouragement, and ask him to show you how best you can encourage them.
Vicki
My sister and I were blessed to grow up in a home where our parents always encouraged us. We were encouraged to do our best, encouraged in our efforts, encouraged to be the person God wanted us to be and to live the life God intended for us. We were encouraged in our hopes and ambitions and to pursue our dreams. We were encouraged to keep going when we encountered setbacks. This encouragement helped us to see ourselves as God sees us, as someone worth loving and someone of value.
It helped me to also see how important it is to regularly encourage my own children. I encourage my daughter Jess when she shows me a piece of homework that she has worked hard on and tried her best. I did this again just recently and in the smile she gave me I could almost see evidence of how it was nourishing and nurturing her very being. It installed some confidence and belief in herself that she had done well. Recently too with my son, Josh, I told him how proud I was when he had made a decision that while right, had not been easy to make. I believe it's important to encourage our children so that they have the courage to make difficult decisions in life.
When I trained as a teacher I again learnt the value of encouraging my pupils. So many needed encouragement for their efforts and their behaviour and to realise their own self-worth. The results when you encourage children are wonderful, it makes them believe they can achieve more and that they do have the ability to behave well. Too many children are told that they are worthless, that they are stupid, that they're no good, and if they're told it enough times then they begin to believe it as truth and act on it.
We need regular encouragement as much as children do, and yet, though I'm determined to encourage children, for some reason I think (and wrongly so) that it's just not necessary to encourage adults.
I'm aware over the last few weeks just how much I've personally been blessed by various people encouraging me. I really feel as though it's been showered on me and I can't tell you how much it has meant to me, whether it's been face to face, or by email, texts, phone calls. And, whether they've known it or not, I know that ultimately it's been God encouraging me through them. So if I know how much encouragement means to me, why am I not doing it more for others?
The bible shows us how important it is that we encourage one another. For example, Paul, in his letter to the Thessalonians writes "and we sent Timothy to visit you. He is our brother and God’s co-worker in proclaiming the Good News of Christ. We sent him to strengthen you, to encourage you in your faith," 1 Thessalonians 3:2 (NLT) and later in that letter he writes "11 For you know how, like a father with his children, 12 we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory." 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12. (ESV) Our God is a God who encourages and there are examples of this throughout the bible, just one example of this was when God encouraged Joshua to take over from Moses as leader of the Israelites (Joshua 1:1-9). In Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians he writes "May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word." 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (NIV).
When we give others encouragement it helps them to continue in their Christian journey, it strengthens their resolve and commitment to their faith, when we encourage them in how they are seeking to use the gifts and talents God has given them, it affirms for them that they are doing what God has called them to do and it strengthens them in their service. Encouragement helps people to live courageously, it helps them to persevere during times of difficulty, it encourages them to continue to be obedient to God and it comforts them in times of trouble.
It costs us very little effort to encourage another person when compared with how much it means to the one who receives the encouragement. Let's determine together to be regular encouragers.
To Think About:
What has it meant to you when someone has taken the time to encourage you?
Who has God used to be an encouragement to you? Take some time in prayer thanking God for that person in your life.
Ask God this coming week to place on your heart someone who is in need of encouragement, and ask him to show you how best you can encourage them.
Vicki
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