encouragement, ya need a little?
We can wake up and feel the pain of a sleepless night. We can go throughout our day filled with grief over a loss. We can carry so much weight from our burdens and no one can tell because we have learned to put on a good face. We can struggle making ends meet, we can be tired from taking care of an ill child and be overwhelmed by providing care for our aging parents. We can find it hard to wake up, we just want to pull the cover over our heads until the sun begins to shine again. We can find ourselves trying so hard to do what is right, when all around us, things are wrong. We can hang on to so much pain, hurt and anger that it begins to weigh on our bodies, our health and our emotions. Who doesn't need encouragement? There is not one person who doesn't need encouragement from others, others to lift you up and pray for you. To have others offer encouragement gives you hope, it gives us a feeling that we are loved. I have found that when I need encouragement, I turn to God and His word. He is the great encourager of us all. Our days can be filled with many things, from school, our children, to our job, to all of our household chores and list goes on and on, but we are not alone, we can make changes in each day, we can decide to look up instead of down, we may not be able to change all around us, but we can change us, we can change the way we look at others, at our circumstances, and our future. If we have given our hearts to Christ and have asked Him to be Lord of our lives, our future is intact no matter what may come about in our daily lives. To give encouragement adds a smile, it makes your heart stir, and gives you strength to carry on throughout the day. I had a great friend encourage me last night helping me understand algebra problems. You know algebra is not math, it is problem solving, it takes awhile to understand and with each process, with each step you come to your answer, its that way with life also. We often want to give up, but if we just take little steps instead of trying to take that big one all at once, we can make it through. With each step there may be trials, but with God's strength and the encouragement of others we can make it through, and just not make it through, but have a joy in our heart doing so. For the past few days my fibromyalgia has been really bad, its hard to get up in the morning and take those first few steps, and the pain is there with each step. My back and my foot have been horrible, and sometimes I think I can't make it, but ya know what? I did, each day the Lord gave me the strength to make it through. We often think no one knows what we are going through, and they may not understand our situation, but if we take a look around, there are many, I think we would be hardpressed to find one who didn't have a challenge of some kind in their life. So as I hobble through my house today, taking each step slowly, I know that there are many who are walking even slower. We need to encourage each other daily, when the Lord lays a name or a face on our hearts, we should stop right then and pray for them, although we may not know what it is that is touching them, the Lord knows and He will intervene. May we live our lives with hearts that have compassion, hearts that reach out, and hearts that are open to those around us. From the biggest to the smallest encouragement it touches those around us and has a great impact on us. Encouragement is a blessing, it is a gift. Whatever your gift is, share it with those around you and watch God as He works. Romans 15:4-5 "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."
We can wake up and feel the pain of a sleepless night. We can go throughout our day filled with grief over a loss. We can carry so much weight from our burdens and no one can tell because we have learned to put on a good face. We can struggle making ends meet, we can be tired from taking care of an ill child and be overwhelmed by providing care for our aging parents. We can find it hard to wake up, we just want to pull the cover over our heads until the sun begins to shine again. We can find ourselves trying so hard to do what is right, when all around us, things are wrong. We can hang on to so much pain, hurt and anger that it begins to weigh on our bodies, our health and our emotions. Who doesn't need encouragement? There is not one person who doesn't need encouragement from others, others to lift you up and pray for you. To have others offer encouragement gives you hope, it gives us a feeling that we are loved. I have found that when I need encouragement, I turn to God and His word. He is the great encourager of us all. Our days can be filled with many things, from school, our children, to our job, to all of our household chores and list goes on and on, but we are not alone, we can make changes in each day, we can decide to look up instead of down, we may not be able to change all around us, but we can change us, we can change the way we look at others, at our circumstances, and our future. If we have given our hearts to Christ and have asked Him to be Lord of our lives, our future is intact no matter what may come about in our daily lives. To give encouragement adds a smile, it makes your heart stir, and gives you strength to carry on throughout the day. I had a great friend encourage me last night helping me understand algebra problems. You know algebra is not math, it is problem solving, it takes awhile to understand and with each process, with each step you come to your answer, its that way with life also. We often want to give up, but if we just take little steps instead of trying to take that big one all at once, we can make it through. With each step there may be trials, but with God's strength and the encouragement of others we can make it through, and just not make it through, but have a joy in our heart doing so. For the past few days my fibromyalgia has been really bad, its hard to get up in the morning and take those first few steps, and the pain is there with each step. My back and my foot have been horrible, and sometimes I think I can't make it, but ya know what? I did, each day the Lord gave me the strength to make it through. We often think no one knows what we are going through, and they may not understand our situation, but if we take a look around, there are many, I think we would be hardpressed to find one who didn't have a challenge of some kind in their life. So as I hobble through my house today, taking each step slowly, I know that there are many who are walking even slower. We need to encourage each other daily, when the Lord lays a name or a face on our hearts, we should stop right then and pray for them, although we may not know what it is that is touching them, the Lord knows and He will intervene. May we live our lives with hearts that have compassion, hearts that reach out, and hearts that are open to those around us. From the biggest to the smallest encouragement it touches those around us and has a great impact on us. Encouragement is a blessing, it is a gift. Whatever your gift is, share it with those around you and watch God as He works. Romans 15:4-5 "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."
