Need Encouragement?

We all need encouragement from time to time. So, how do we get it when we are usually the ones who do the encouraging in other people's lives? Here are a few things you can do to fill up that cup and keep pouring into the lives of those around you.

The first thing you can do to encourage yourself is to remember whose you are. If you are a Christian you belong to Christ. To the King of kings and Lord of lords. Another thing to remember is that you were chosen! God picked you!

"You were chosen by God the Father long ago. He knew you were to become His children. You were set apart for holy living by the Holy Spirit. May you obey Jesus Christ and be made clean by His blood. May you be full of His loving-favor and peace.

3 Let us thank the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It was through His loving-kindness that we were born again to a new life and have a hope that never dies. This hope is ours because Jesus was raised from the dead. 4 We will receive the great things that we have been promised. They are being kept safe in heaven for us. They are pure and will not pass away. They will never be lost." - 1 Peter 1:2-4

We also need to remind ourselves that we were chosen FOR A REASON. Why did God choose you? For what purpose? It's because He wants you to do something for Him. He wants you to serve Him, to worship Him and to love Him.

Have you volunteered lately at a food pantry or Meals on Wheels? Maybe it's as simple as baking some cookies and giving them to your neighbor. Serving others accomplishes two things. It help those with a need and it helps us fulfill the purpose for our lives.

When I need real encouragement I open up my Bible to Romans 8. There is more than enough encouragement in Paul's writing to the Romans to get me encouraged.

"If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died - more than that, who was raised to life - is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:31-39

Feeling encouraged yet?

"Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called "Today," so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." - Hebrews 3:13

We will never need encourament as long as we remind ourselves of these simple truths.

The Word - Sara Groves
The Words I Would Say - Sidewalk Prophets