Encouragement

“Instruction does much, but encouragement everything.”  J. W Goethe

Yesterday, my bible study group of women got together for our end of the year/ Christmas celebration. As their leader, everyone made an effort to share with me how thankful they were for my commitment to the group. Their words were not lengthy but it stirred my soul to keep doing what I do.

Scripture repeatedly speaks of encouraging one another;

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

Hebrews 10:24-25 “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Acts 13:15 After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.”

Acts 14:22 “Strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith.”

Acts 15:32 “Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers.”

Encouragement is not just about complimenting someone’s outfit or their homemade cheesecake, although that sort of encouragement has its place and is beneficial. Scriptural encouragement is so much more, it is shared with the hopes that it will remind someone of their gifting and purpose. It will help them see that God is using them and hopefully remind and realign their reason for serving and lift their hearts towards God.

In the simplest of terms, encouragement is to tell someone they are doing a good job or thank someone for what they are doing. It is so easy to do, it does not take much to be an encourager and yet it is something that can be so very easily overlooked.

Romans 12:8 talks about encouraging another as a spiritual gift.

Romans 12:6-8 “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”

This verse talks about encouragement being a spiritual gift. But we are all called to encourage and spur one another on, and so we understand that it might not come naturally to us all. Therefore, be conscious of what encouragement does and work at it, how?  

• Be genuine
• Don’t take someone for granted for however long they have served in a certain capacity.
• Understand that even if what they do may seem easy to us, we do not always see all the work that they do.
• Pray for God to show you who to encourage
• And just get started

As we begin the month of December, we can get quite caught up with all that this time of the year brings along with it. But let us not allow the busyness of the season to make us overlook opportunities to encourage and bless each other.

A simple word of encouragement can be quite impactful.

God Bless.