2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
We have all had the experience of a text at just the right time, a verse that hits the heart in the most needed way, or a compliment that lifts the weary head just a little on a defeating day. Encouragement can come in many ways, but it is the right amount of hope given at just the right time. Imagine a place where no encouragement can be found. How much easier and faster would we all give up?
The verse of 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 is what gave me the confident assurance that there is always purpose in my pain. During dark, dreary days, encouragement from others kept me going. There were times when prayers were poured over me by phone when I didn’t have the words to pray myself, times when scripture was texted to me at the perfect moment reminding me of God’s promises and Truth, and invitations to safely share what was on my heart that had been weighing me down. Once you have been the recipient of that kind of hope from encouragement, you know the value of giving it to others.
Though the details of our stories are different, we have all experienced the deep hurt from living in a broken, fallen world. When we encounter the Great Comforter in these moments, it shifts our perspective and hearts. God is our source of encouragement and hope in a messy world and it is our call as Believers to share this hope and comfort with others.
This encouragement should be an overflow from the first four steps of walking in providence: devotion, scripture, prayer, and community. When we experience the protective care of God, especially in difficult situations, we can’t help but share it with others. When we look at the miracles of Jesus, we see the first response of those touched and healed by Him is to run and share the good news of their healing with other, even when Jesus asked them to keep quiet. When the Father of all compassion comforts us in our troubles, we naturally want to share this same comfort with others.
Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
How can we be an encouragement to others? We are all different with unique talents and gifts and this may look different for all of us. One of the best ways to be a great encourager is to make a list (if that’s your thing) of all the ways you have been encouraged by others. Have you been encouraged by someone texting that you were on their hearts and being prayed for? Has someone brought you a meal during a busy or difficult season? Has someone taken you to lunch or bought you a coffee? Think of ways you have been greatly encouraged and look to be a similar source of encouragement to someone else.
The best way I have found to be a source of encouragement is to be tuned into the promptings of the Holy Spirit. If you get a nudge to text someone, speak to the girl you don’t know well, or pay for the person ahead of you at the coffee shop, be obedient. The Holy Spirit knows what others need and may be using you as a vessel to be their comfort. Sometimes it can be as simple as a warm smile in the long line and a compliment on the shirt the cashier is wearing. Imagine this woman as being beaten down by life and wearing the same tired shirt she has had for five years, but the moment you warmly smile and sincerely compliment her, it could be the very thing that encourages her to keep going.
Be light in the darkness. Be the hands and feet of Jesus. Be kind. Be compassionate. Let the love and peace you have received from your Heavenly Father spill over to the lives of others pointing them to your source of strength and hope.
2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
1 Thessalonians 5:8-11 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
If list making isn’t your thing, here is a list of ways I have received encouragement over the last several years. I pray it inspires you that even the smallest things can be a huge source of encouragement to someone else.
- A texted prayer
- Sending a link to an encouraging scripture, devotional, or sermon
- Someone sending a praise song
- Being invited to lunch or coffee
- A meal provided for our family
- A friend helping me fold my laundry while we talked
- Offering to take the kids for an afternoon
- A small gift like a candle or plush blanket
- A compliment (this goes a long way when you feel tired and have cried a lot)
- A hug
Prayer: Father, thank You for the ways I have felt encouraged this week. I ask that it is through Your protective care that I am filled to overflow with Your love, kindness, and encouragement to those around me. As You provide for my every need, use me to be a source of encouragement in meeting the needs of others.