A Word of Encouragement

Train yourself to be godly. 1 Timothy 4:7b

Train yourself. That’s like work. Purposing to practice something so much that it becomes a natural habit; a natural response. We often focus on what we shouldn’t be doing; how we need to stop reacting like this or stop behaving like that, but this verse challenges us to train ourselves for what we “should” be doing.

If there’s one area that God has been challenging me, it is in the area of encouragement – to pause, not only to notice when someone does something good, but then taking the time to affirm them. Funny, that is so easy for me to do outside my house. For some reason I can freely and genuinely encourage friends and even strangers throughout the day. Someone comes to mind and I send them a quick text to let them know I’m thinking of them. Home is another story. What is it about the people we are closest to that makes it so hard to speak words of affirmation? Is it pride? Is it the awkward feeling one gets because it’s not natural and it reveals a vulnerability?

Whatever it is, I want to “train” myself to speak words of encouragement.

It makes us have to stop and really think; to choose to see what is good instead of what is frustrating or less than ideal in a person. It forces us to see others the way God sees them.

It’s interesting, if you do a Google search to find words of encouragement, you find post after post of well thought out quotes with tender graphics, but no list of examples of how we can speak and directly encourage each other. In fact, I looked up encouragement apps hoping to get ideas of ways and words to encourage others and all the apps were designed to send encouragement to myself. It would appear we all crave encouragement, and yet, we are challenged to know how to personally express it to each other.

In all fairness, I do know a handful of people that encouragement is their gift. They do it so naturally. Others are drawn to them because of their genuine kind words. They are safe and they give us the God view of ourselves. It can, at times, even be a tad bit uncomfortable, so much grace and kindness from another person, but if we are honest, it feels very good. Their kind words can resonant in our minds for years. Those words are powerful, and they often prove a much-needed counter to the lies we so easily embrace about ourselves.

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.  Ephesians 4:29

It is for good reason then that we should “train” ourselves to encourage one another. That involves choosing to practice it. Choosing to push through the uncomfortable and speak kind words. We live in a world that is constantly tearing us down and I’m afraid we also engage in the tearing.

To encourage is the action of giving someone support, confidence or hope.
Could there be a better gift?

• You did a really good job on that.
• You look great today.
• You were very patient with them.
• That was a great response.
• I love what you add to our family.
• You are really good at that.
• You are a great listener.

In the Meanwhile…

There is great truth to the idea that we only see what we are looking for. May we choose to see what is good in those around us, and then use our mouths to express what it is we have seen.

Today may we make it our purpose to speak a word of encouragement to everyone we spend time with…especially those in our family and the people we are closest to.