Thursday, September 06, 2012
My mother would often say to me when I was being pouty, "You can get glad in the same pants you got sad in." I hated that phrase! One thing I know for sure, it's much more difficult to get glad than it is to get sad . Why is that? Why is it that we are more prone to sadness than gladness? Why do we often fall prey to discouragement? Discouragement is one of Satan's favorite tools to keep God's people sad.The Bible says alot about encouragement. In Psalm 3: 3 (NLT), "But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high." God is the One who can encourage us, who can lift our head and make us glad.
The Bible also says that we should view our self as a person who brings encouragement. Scripture makes it clear that a major part of Christians gathering together, in small groups and big groups, is to encourage one another. Hebrews 10:24-25, " Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near." Think of yourself today as a card carrying, ordained by God, fully commissioned dispenser of encouragement to others. Whenever you go to church or small group, prepare yourself to encourage someone else. We all need encouragement - even the late, great, Apostle Paul! The Bible says this about Paul in 2 Corinthians 7:5-7, " When we arrived in Macedonia, there was no rest for us. We faced conflict from every direction, with battles on the outside and fear on the inside. But God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus. His presence was a joy, but so was the news he brought of the encouragement he received from you. When he told us how much you long to see me, and how sorry you are for what happened, and how loyal you are to me, I was filled with joy!" When I read this I get the idea that Paul was having a difficult time moving from sadness to gladness. He was feeling the pain of discouragement. Note these words: no rest, facing conflict, battles on the outside, fears on the inside...Wow! How did Paul find encouragement? God provided Titus to bring encouragement to Paul. I want to be like Titus, don't you? Titus knew he was a God ordained dispenser of encouragement to others and his encouragement brought joy to Paul.
In her wonderful
book, Edges of His Ways, Amy
Carmichael has this little paragraph:
"I have always noticed that when God has purposes of blessing for
some soul, the devil of discouragement, who is one of Satan’s most useful
servants, is sure to come and whisper all sorts of sorrowful, depressing,
miserable thoughts. He drops these
thoughts about, sometimes in one heart and sometimes in another. If they take root and grow into feelings and
words and deeds, he knows that a great deal has been done to hinder what our God
intends to do. Don’t forget that
discouragement is always from beneath; encouragement is always from above. God is the God of Encouragement.”Lord, Help me be a person who dispenses Your encouragement to others.
Post a Comment