June 23 - A little bit of encouragement
Scripture focus: In the course of listening to Paul, a great many Corinthians believed and were baptized. One night the Master spoke to Paul in a dream: "Keep it up, and don't let anyone intimidate or silence you. No matter what happens, I'm with you and no one is going to be able to hurt you. You have no idea how many people I have on my side in this city." That was all he needed to stick it out. He stayed another year and a half, faithfully teaching the Word of God to the Corinthians. Acts 18:8-11 (The Message)
I am amazed at how little encouragement it takes to bolster a person whose heart has made the decision to trust God. I'm not suggesting that we become parsimonious in our dishing out of encouragement! What I mean to convey is that most of us would be surprised by how one small act on our part can fill another person for months with the strength they need to carry on.
A few weeks ago, I was physically sick, mentally drained and shamefully vulnerable. Even after my morning cup of coffee, I dragged myself to my computer without much enthusiasm. I opened up my email and saw an unusually large number appear in the "new" column. I groaned inwardly, thinking about how long it would take to sort through the spam and respond to the serious.
I deleted the obviously impersonal no matter how much lottery winnings were promised, new friendships offered, and body part enlargements the subject title promised. Starting at the top of the remaining unopened emails, I read and responded as I thought appropriate. Normally I love this ritual – the anonymous questions, cries for assistance, stories shared, and occasional critique – they all seem like valuable community connectors, even if the writer lives in a far away land. But today it was just plain hard work.
Until an anonymous blogger sent a simple message in response to the daily devotional, "Thanks."
That was all I needed. I was physically sick and mentally drained – but not longer shamefully vulnerable. Someone took a moment and figured out how to blog (something that I am woefully ill-equipped to do) and send a word of encouragement. I particularly appreciated this word because it carried no hint of agreement with the message or sign that the devotional material was actually helpful. It simply said, "Thanks." I love that. Maybe the writer did like the message and found it helpful, but maybe not. Maybe he or she simply wanted to say, "Keep it up."
A little encouragement goes a long way. I want to leave you with an extrovert's 'word' of affirmation: "Keep it up. Even if you know that your best efforts are paltry offerings, they're offerings and precious in God's sight. Keep going. God's protective love is not dependent upon your good performing. So for today, make the decision to trust him, even if that faith is the size of a mustard seed. Because God is eager to give and give and give to you because of who he is, not based on what you have or have not done."
Recommended reading: Joshua 22-24
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Copyright 2009 NorthStar Community
- click on the word comments and join our conversation
Copyright 2009 NorthStar Community
4 comments:
Thanks for being real.
My favorite phrase of encouragement is "Keep On Truckin'." It doesn't matter where I am on God's path or how far askew, my job is to keep seeking the path.
Having an awesome, serene, God-filled day? Keep on truckin'.
Struggling against fear and resentment? Keep on truckin'.
Had a relapse and drove into the ditch? Find some friends to drag you out. And then...? Keep on truckin'!
I work in a world where you have to check your emotions in at the front gate. No expectations of encouragement or attaboys. Yesterday morning I checked my work email and a supervisor of another department was thanking for my efforts acknowledging the extreme heat conditions I was working under and that the work was making a difference and wanted to let me know that any assistance I might or could use from his crew was availble. He also reminded me to take physical care, drink plenty of fluids and that I should feel free to use the special air circulation fan that we generally do not use for process reasons to try to get air moving around me. A heart in a heartless world. As Teresa pointed out it doesn't take much just an unconditional simple note of gratitude and off the floor we come back into the battle.
Teresa , Mickie and the untold others that support you, thank you for your efforts that make this thing work. IF ole Shame Dawg No More can assist let me know. Let the big dawgs run!!!
I am encouraged as I read these comments. Thanks for starting the conversation. I like reading the devotional; i love reading what others have to say in response.
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