Think about it! Why is it that we slack up when its time to encourage someone? Is it because we don't want them to feel good about what they are doing, when all the while they need our encouragement to keep going with what they are doing. Whether it is a project, or they need encouragement to improve their talent or talents, why do we hesitate to give them that extra boost? I am not really sure of the reason, I can only think about my own life and what it would have meant to me had someone given me the encouragement I needed.
When I was a child I loved the outdoors and I loved animals and we had a farm and it was my delight to milk cows and feed chickens and anything that was outdoors, in the barn or where ever as long as I was in God's world, as I call it. I loved to help my stepfather do whatever he was doing although he didn't seem to enjoy my help as I recall, but I thought if I worked hard enough he would learn to love me. This particular day he asked me to take a brush and dustpan and sweep the manger out, it was quite long and I was enjoying what I was doing and trying to do the best I knew how, I suppose I was 10 or 11. When I was done, I was so proud of my work and I just knew he was going to praise me for once, but no, it was far from good enough and I was so heart broken because he didn't like my work. When all it would have taken was a little encouragement and I would have done a much better job the next time, although I think it was a pretty good job then, I never could figure out why I couldn't please him.
Encouragement is such a powerful tool, used rightly, and takes such little effort to speak a few words that would make a world of difference to a child or anyone. As I mentioned on this blog another day that I loved to play the organ, and actually I played for two churches, one in Arkansas and the other in New Mexico, and one elderly couple in Arkansas told me after church that my playing sounded like an angel playing and that was all it took for me to try harder to sound better.
In 1 Samuel 23:15-17 Saul's son Jonathan encouraged David to not fear that he would be king, even though his father Saul sought to kill him.
God encourages us with all His promises to us, it is great encouragement to know that He cares and wants what is best for us. If you haven't done it yet, go through your Bible and color all the promises with a red pencil and see how many you can find and what they mean to you personally.
Paul encouraged the churches in Rome and thanked God for them that their faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. Romans 1:7,8.
Paul was always encouraging the churches where he ministered. In Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Phillipi and Colosse. So why shouldn't we encourage others, I am sure that I could do a lot more encouraging in fact I know that I could do a lot more. How about you?
A friend called me a little while ago and was telling me he had a knee replacement and was walking with a walker and I was telling him I hate to use my walker, it brings on too much attention and he said with my weak heart I needed to get out and walk with it to strengthen my heart. I told him I guess I had better get out there and do it, if he could do it, so could I. So guess what, a little encouragement goes a long way and I am going to get out there and do it. I guess that is all I needed, was some encouragement.
So find someone to encourage today and bless their heart with some encouragement. I know you can do it and so can I. So what is stopping us? Maybe a little pride, I really don't know. Grandma Joan
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