Encouragement

Encouragement goes straight to the heart. In fact, the word itself
comes from a combination of the prefix "en" which means "to put into"
and the Latin word "cor" which means heart.

Knowing what a big difference encouragement makes in your own life,
what can you do to help others "to take heart" when the going gets
tough and way feels long?

1.Become aware of what encourages you, and do those same things for
others.

2.Learn individuals' "love language"-the special way in which they
feel most valued. In his book, The Five Languages of Love, Gary
Chapman explains that not everyone's emotional needs are met in the
same way, and that it's important to learn to speak others' love
language. The five love languages are: words of affirmation, spending
quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service and physical touch.

3.If an encouraging thought comes to mind, share it! It may not have
the same effect if you wait. Don't let shyness hold you back.

4.Instead, form a new habit: "Encourage one another daily, as long as
it is called Today…" (Hebrews 3:13).

5.When you introduce someone, add a few words of praise for the
person's abilities, accomplishments, about how they've helped you or
about the nature of your relationship. It's encouraging to be praised
in front of others.*

6.When someone is discouraged or hurting, offer specific, practical
help. If you ask, "How can I help?" the person might be at a loss to
answer. It's better to ask, "Would it help if I…(specific action) or
say, "I would like to…(specific action)?*

7.Remind fellow Christians of the specific promises of God and
characteristics of God. We may know something with our mind, but need
to be reminded in our heart. The Apostle Peter wrote, "I will always
remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly
established in the truth you now have" (2 Peter 2:12).

8.Write someone a note to tell them that you're praying for them.
Tell them what you're praying. You can pray specific Scriptures for
individuals such as Romans 15:13, "[I pray that] the God of hope
[will] fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that
you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

9.Make celebration a more regular part of your relationships.
Celebrate others' victories, large and small-with a note, with coffee
together, with a special meal, a congratulatory phone call or just a
high-five!

10.Be specific when you offer words of praise; it makes your
encouragement more credible and concrete "You did a great job at…" "I
really appreciate that you…" "I was really impressed that you…"

11.Encourage other believers with a reminder of Christ's coming. It
redirects our thinking to an eternal perspective and ultimate
deliverance from the sin and death. "We who are still alive and are
left will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And
so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other
with these words." (1 Thessalonians 5:17b-18).

12.Realize the power of presence. Just being there is encouraging!
When you're with others, you're telling them that they're important.
The Apostle Paul closed his letter to the church at Colosse promising
to send his friend Tychius "that he may encourage your hearts"
(Colossians 4:8b).

13.If you're part of a church, Bible study or fellowship, be
committed to showing up. Your simple presence encourages others that
they are part of a community of faith and that they are not alone.
That's why the writer of Hebrews says, "Let us not give up the habit
of meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us
encourage one another-and all the more as we see the Day approaching"
(Hebrews 10:25).

14.If someone you know is working on a large project, send her a
single flower to encourage her at the beginning of the project, and a
full bouquet when it's done.*

15.Use encouragement as an outreach. If anyone should be known for
being an encourager, it should be the Christian. Write a letter of
appreciation to people at work, your apartment manager, your child's
teacher or your doctor. Often when we interact with these people, we
are asking for their services. Take time just to say thank you!*

16.If you really want to encourage someone who gives you excellent
service, write a letter of commendation to the person's boss.*

17.We could learn something from the way team athletes freely pat,
touch and high-five each other in competition. Touch is a powerful
encouragement. Be sure to be sensitive in this area, though. Ask
someone if you can hug her first. And be careful to be above reproach
with persons of the opposite sex.

18.When you see someone making positive changes in their lives,
affirm them. "You seem to have a really great attitude about…" "It
may be that I'm just starting to take notice, but I see that
you're…" "Do you think that you are becoming more…?"

19.Tell people how they've encouraged you!
Walk daily in the power of the Holy Spirit, asking Him to give you
what you need to encourage others. Just as it is impossible to live
the Christian life in one's own strength, it's also impossible to
freely, unselfishly pour out encouragement without the help of the
Holy Spirit who is our Encourager.

1 Chronicles 16
8 Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.
9 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.

"Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test
and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those
who love him. No one, when tempted, should say, 'I am being tempted by
God'; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one.
But one is tempted by one's own desire, being lured and enticed by it;
then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that
sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death. Do not be deceived,
my beloved." ~James 1:12-16

God will not allow us to be tempted above what we are able to endure.
When we are tempted, God will also show us a way of escape. When we
have faith and trust in God, we have available to us all the strength we
need to face every temptation and to overcome it. Nothing will be too
hard for us to bear. We can face any situation. "Be of good cheer, I
have overcome the world." We can overcome any temptation with God's
help. So we need fear nothing.

"Be still and know that I am God." ~Psalm 46:10

"By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon
us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of
death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." ~Luke 1:78

God can be our shield. Then no problems of the world can harm us.
Between us and all scorn and indignity from others is our trust in God,
like a shining shield. Nothing can then have the power to spoil our
inward peace. With this shield, we can attain this inward peace quickly,
in our surroundings as well as in our hearts. With this inward peace,
we do not need to resent the person who troubles us. Instead, we can
overcome the resentment in our own mind which may have been aroused by
that person.
Then quietly pray for that person so that they too may enjoy the fellowship of GOD.

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