Discouragement causes you to lose heart and want to quit
Every one of us have experienced it at one time or another in our lives. Life is difficult and can be painful at times, and the hard things we face have a way of wearing us down. We can become disheartened and lose our ability to “fight the good fight” and to “keep on keeping on”.
After the death of Moses, his successor Joshua was told repeatedly,
“Be strong and very courageous”
In other words, “Don’t get discouraged Joshua, even though the task ahead of you is a huge one!”
While none of us is being required to lead a nation of people to settle in a foreign land filled with enemies, it takes fortitude of mind and heart to keep our families together, to trust God for breakthroughs in our finances, to stand strong in the face of Satan’s attacks, and to face many other challenges common to modern life.
No wonder the Bible puts such high value on people who have the ability to encourage, to lift others up through their words and their actions
Pastors are charged in 2 Timothy 4:2 with encouraging the flock. Romans 12:8 tells us that there are certain people who have been given the gift of encouragement. But it’s not just pastors or the people who have the gift who should encourage others.
The Bible also says: “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25). The truth is that each of us has this special calling on our lives: to tell someone, “You’re going to make it!” “Don’t give up!” “God hasn’t forgotten you!” “The Lord is going to meet your needs!” “God’s going to prove Himself mighty on your behalf”.
God could send an angel to deliver a message of encouragement, but he’s chosen you and me
This week, let’s ask God to use us to encourage someone. You may come across someone is feeling low or doubtful, or maybe someone who has been so beaten down that they are ready to give up. As we depend on him, the Holy Spirit will guide us and help us to minister words of life and actions that will lift the person up.
Hasn’t God done that for us by sending someone just at the right time at key times in our lives? By his grace, we can in turn be his voice and his hands extended to someone in need of encouragement today.
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