04/06/2023
HAVE THE COURAGE TO ENCOURAGE
encourage (verb): give support, confidence, or hope to someone
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We've all had rough days; hopefully you've been blessed in those hard times by someone who sent a text, made a phone call, or just came to sit with you and listen. Our ability to bounce back from our difficult situations is directly impacted by the encouragement we receive along the way. Here's the thing, if you've been encouraged yourself, you have the power to give encouragement. How can you encourage someone?
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Give support.
Support can look a lot different based on what someone is walking through. Maybe support is a listening ear. Maybe it's dropping dinner by. Maybe it's babysitting their kids for a few hours. To support someone is to help carry their load, and we all have areas of our life that we don't carry well. Being a supporter and an encourager is reminding people in our lives that we don't walk this journey of life alone.
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Give confidence.
Hear me out: we don't give people confidence by filling their ears with insincere compliments. We instill confidence in folks by reminding them of their God-given worth and abilities. None of us is good at everything, but all of us are good at something. Our Heavenly Father has given each of a special gifts with which we bless others around us, but some people have forgotten or haven't yet realized what those gifts are. Confidence is knowing that the goodness in us isn't a result of who we are, but whose we are. Scripture tells us we are fearfully and wonderfully made!
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Give hope to someone.
Encouragement isn't just patting someone on the back when they've done something good, but it is also walking alongside someone through difficult times. Hope allows us to look upwards and forwards, but some folks are overwhelmed by life to the point that all they can see is the obstacle or struggle right in front of them. In these situations, encouragers can speak truth and wisdom to folks who helpless or hopeless. Text someone a prayer or a Bible verse. Send them a link to a powerful worship song or playlist. Invite them to go for a walk or invite them to a Bible study. Hope isn't something we physically give, but it's a way we can encourage the heart and mind of our friends.
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Look for ways to be an encourager this week!
Give support, give confidence, and give hope to those around you.
The awesome thing about being an encourager is that you also are encouraged in the process.
Have the courage to encourage!
