By Chris WittsSaturday 14 Jan 2023Morning Devotions with Chris WittsFaithReading Time: 1 minute
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Transcript:
Well, there’s no doubt about it that people need encouragement. Now you just ask any counsellor or clergyman who deals with people and you’ll probably get the same answer. There are many hurt people. I’ve seen them – they have nowhere to turn. They’ve got no friend to talk to. And what about those who carry inside themselves hurt feelings or guilt or fears that they’re not prepared to share with others? And I’m sure there are many like that who keep those feelings to themselves, are not prepared to talk about them.
So all around us, there are people who are crushed by life who have nowhere to turn. For example, their marriage is falling apart or their financial affairs are in a mess. Maybe the kids are giving them trouble or even their health. They could be in jeopardy with some bad news from the doctor. Now, that’s why it’s important to be an encourager and to lend a hand.
And why am I saying that? Because God has made us to mix with others?
Did you know that you were made for this connection? There is a universal need to belong somewhere from the moment you were born, you long for the warmth of love and acceptance from others. For example, in the Bible in Proverbs 17:22 it says, “a cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” Now, maybe, as you think about that, you may feel that way today. Maybe you’re very discouraged. You can’t smile about life, and it’s time you need someone to come alongside and to bring you encouragement. And that’s what I think the church is all about. Church is different from other organisations.
You can be yourself at church and find encouragement from people who are like you. And a lot of people don’t understand what Christianity is all about. It’s all about relationships with God and with other people.
Jesus said that you must love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind, he said. That’s the first and greatest commandment, and the second is equally important. Love your neighbour as yourself. That’s in Matthew 22. So why is encouragement so important?
Because the Bible says we must offer that to other people.
Hebrews 10:25 is a great verse. It says, “Let’s not neglect our meeting together, as some people do but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near.”
So eternity is at stake here. We believe that Jesus will return and he will ask, “Well, what did you do? Did you offer help and encouragement to anyone?”
You may well ask. “Well, that’s fine, but how do I do it?”
The Bible has the answer to that as well, it says in Hebrews 10:24, “Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds.” That’s a good version.
Now, maybe you have a gift of encouragement. You might find it easy to do that. And if that’s the case, that’s really good, because God has given you that gift, so use it creatively. Others of us might find it more difficult, but it won’t happen unless you plan ahead. So, what’s wrong with writing a short note and mailing it in the post or emailing someone with a brief message saying, I’m thinking about you today and I guarantee you’ll be amazed at the result or use the phone to speak for a few minutes with that person who’s lonely or the person that’s housebound and can’t get out of the house. And sometimes the best way to encourage is not through words at all. It’s through listening, it’s by trying to understand the other person. Did you know that understanding is better than giving advice?
I like what Howard Hendricks said in a statement. He said, you can impress people at a distance, but you can only impact them close up. The general principle here, he said, is the closer the personal relationship, the greater the potential for impact.
And I like that idea, getting close to people and sharing with them. And really, you can’t do that from a distance. In fact, the Bible says we should do something special every day because Hebrews 3:13 says, “encourage one another daily as long as it is called today.”
So unless we do it each day, we could forget there are hidden opportunities for encouragement, and may God help you to find them.
Let’s Pray
Heavenly Father, we thank you today for people who have encouraged us along the way. They’ve been those special people through the years that have helped us. We thank you for them. And, Lord, give us that gift of being able to encourage others. And this is our prayer, I ask, in the name of Jesus Our Lord, Amen.