STEP 4: Encourage

Week 4:  Encourage

While there, he encouraged the believers in all the towns he passed through.
Acts 20:2 NLT

In this life, we need encouragement…some days more than others.  We need courage to do this life. I really believe that in order to encourage others we need to know first that we matter to God.  When we truly know that we matter to Him, then we can turn around and encourage others.  

Digging into His word and being filled with His love and grace is how we can pour out on others.  When His Spirit fills us – that right there is true encouragement to move forward in this life. 

If you are like me and you have kids…they are watching your every move.  You are their biggest encourager.  To fill them up with courage and love…we too need to be filled up with the same things.  AND – who better to fill us than our Father in Heaven!

“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” Romans 12:1-2 (The Message)

  

Jesus encouraged others.  If we keep our eyes on Jesus and know the love He has for us…we then are so filled up that we can pour out on others.  

If you aren’t feeling very encouraging – and boy there are days I’d rather say, “See ya” – but God is in the business of transforming.  He can take something ugly (like the death of Jesus) and turn it into something beautiful (the resurrection) but it’s in the middle (those 3 days) that He asks for patience.  Open His Word – let Him work on you.

Press on friends – let Him encourage you so that you can turn around and encourage others.  You do this – letting Him fill you up – and your LIFE will change. 

We need more people encouraging – let it begin with me.  With you!

How can you encourage someone today?

  

Thank you for taking part of this 4 week session on L-I-F-E.