Encouragement for the Encourager
My life has been so richly blessed by encouragers and their words of encouragement, and I bet yours has too! Those in the body of Christ that are gifted with the gift of encouragement give strength to others. I’m sure the enemy tries to discourage those with this gift by telling them it doesn’t make much difference, no one notices, and that their time would be better spent else where. I want to take a moment, as someone who has felt the hands of the encouragers push her forward and often prop her up, to tell the encouragers of the world that your words are making a difference!
When I am discouraged and have a desire to quit, or when I have lost purpose or perspective then God sends an encourager my way to remind me of His love and of the fruit He is producing even if I might feel the labor’s been in vain. They point out the “good”! As I write this the sweet smiles of several people God’s placed in my life stay framed in my mind, as I think of how many times I’ve felt stuck or disheartened and their words have propelled me forward.
“Encourage one another and build each other up….Encourage the disheartened”
(1 Thes. 5:11 & 14)
In the Bible Judas and Silas were encouragers and when in Antioch, “they said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers” (Acts 15:32). Encouragers, please keep “saying much”! Don’t let the enemy silence you or distract you because your gift is powerful. It strengthens your brother and sisters. Behind every preacher, speaker, writer, missionary, philanthropist, activist, or counselor are the voices of their encouragers. They wouldn’t be where they are teaching and serving as they are without you. When the enemy takes down an encourager, many are affected. Just as when an encourager is filled with God’s hope, truth, and perspective, many are strengthened. Encourager, maybe there are some in your life you have poured many words of life into but you don’t see them changing anything: “Don’t grow weary in doing good, because at just the right time you WILL see a harvest “(Gal 6:9)
“We have different gifts according to the grace given us, if it is ENCOURAGING, let him ENCOURAGE” (Rom. 12:8)
There have been moments, days, and seasons where I have felt stuck in discouragement. It is in these times that I have learned that I can call out to God for encouragement, and it never fails there will be a text, an email, a facebook message, or even a card right when I think I’ve had all I can take and I’m unraveling. God actually promises in Ps 10:17 to send us encouragement and He uses the encouragers to do it, “You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry.” If you are feeling down, discouraged, disheartened, or afflicted then cry out to God to send encouragement your way. There is a man named, Tychicus (try saying that 5 times fast), in the Bible, that most have never heard of but he influenced many through his encouragement. In Col. 4:8, it says that Paul sent him out for the purpose of him encouraging, “that he may encourage your hearts.” He’s mentioned again by Paul in Eph. 6:22, “I’m sending him to you for this very purpose…that he may encourage you.” God has an entire army of encouragers waiting for Him to lay someone of their hearts, so if you are in need today of a little courage or strengthening ask Him for it!
Encouragers, we thank you for your faithfulness you’ve helped the rest of us more then you’ll ever know! God says, “Encourage each other everyday while you have the opportunity. If you do this, none of you will be deceived by sin” (Heb. 3:13). Your words of courage, truth and strength fight against the enemy’s lies of hopelessness and temptation. Your words have power! They are a tool of God to keep others out of sin and out of believing Satan’s lies!
“Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you brother (sister), have refreshed the hearts of the saints” (Phil. 1:7). Thank you, Encourager, you have given us not only encouragement but joy and in so doing you have refreshed our hearts. May God richly bless you for how you have refreshed us and may you not grow weary!
Who are your encouragers? Send them a word of thanks this week. Just like all the other gifts they too need encouragement. They need to know their words have made a difference and have made a lasting impact!
2016/03/05 at 3:03 pm