Part I
I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that our worlds are full of discouraged people. No doubt you can think of one person you know—not including yourself—who is discouraged right now, and many of you could name multiple people who would fall into that category. It may be a short-lived discouragement over something temporary, or a deep-rooted discouragement that is starting to look like depression.
Our workplaces are full of discouragement; our families are discouraged; our friends are discouraged; discouragement has seeped into every area of our lives, and some of us would have to say, “I am discouraged.” The economy is blamed for a lot of discouragement today, and we all understand that. But there are any number of things that cause discouragement, some legitimate and some not.
Here’s what I think: This discouraged environment is a great setup for us Christians! I mean, if ever we had a perfect situation to show and demonstrate the love of God, the difference that Jesus makes, and help others see that Jesus is the answer, it is now!
The world you now occupy is a discouraged world; God has put you in that world for such a time as this. God doesn’t waste anything, not even discouraging times and situations. And you are there to be an encourager. To be the light that shines in a dark place; to share the hope that you have in Jesus with those who feel hopeless. To be Jesus to those who desperately need to know him. This is one very effective way for you to reach wide to your world—and virtually everyone in your world—by becoming a fanatical encourager.
The Biblical Basis
Of course, the Bible is full of admonitions for us to become intentional encouragers; to become serious about encouraging others. Here are just a few passages:
Isaiah 1:17: Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed.
1 Thessalonians 5:11: Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
Acts 16:40: After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them. Then they left.
Hebrews 3:13: But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
The Apostle Paul was continually encouraging people and admonishing new believers to be encouragers. You will find many passages in all of his letters where he is specifically encouraging others.
This should be a trademark of a Christian—to be an encouraging person. And whether you have the gift of encouragement or not, we can all learn to be encouragers. If you and I are intentional, fanatical encouragers, we will be amazed at how God will use us to reach wide to the people in our worlds. Paul wrote to Philemon that “Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints” (Philemon 1:7). What a wonderful tribute to Philemon. Wouldn’t you like someone to say that about you?
How To Become a Fanatical Encourager
As I said earlier, a fanatic is a person with extreme enthusiasm or zeal. Do you think it would be glorifying to God if we all became fanatical encouragers? Can you encourage too much? Only if it is insincere or done for the wrong motives—like flattering someone to win favor with them. No, the fanatical encourager who is biblically based and Spirit-led will be zealous and enthusiastic about encouraging others every chance she or he gets.
And we do this in obedience to the Lord; we do it because the love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts; we do it because we love Jesus and we love people. We want to encourage everyone God puts in our lives—even the people who may not seem to appreciate it, or who may not deserve it, or who don’t encourage us! No one is in our lives by accident, and so if God has put them in our lives, then as fanatical encouragers, we should find some way to sincerely encourage them.
I’m going to give you very simple ways to begin this journey into some fanatical encouragement.
1. Become fanatical about speaking simple words of encouragement at every opportunity.
If you think something nice about someone, say those words out loud to that person, if possible. How often do you think something nice about someone, but you don’t express it? It happens to me a lot. I’ll notice an outfit or scarf or necklace and think how good it looks. I’ll see someone at church and think how she or he always looks cheerful. Even those who are closest to us—our family members—how often do you think something nice about them but you don’t verbalize it?
This takes such little effort. We just have to remember to speak those words of encouragement whenever possible. I’m certainly not talking about flattering people or making things up, but just the opposite. Speaking out loud the sincere words of encouragement, the compliments, the nice things you think. It’s so easy—and really so much fun.
This is an easy habit to cultivate, but if you want to be a fanatical encourager, then you will have to remember to do it every day. And that includes your children, your co-workers, your mate—people who are a part of your everyday life but who are often overlooked when it comes to encouragement from us.
2. Become fanatical about praying for people God puts on your mind and then tell them!
If you wake up in the middle of the night with someone on your mind, just pray for them. If you hear about someone you know who is in need, pray for them. Or even someone you don’t know—as you listen to the news. Recently in our Sunday service our Pastor asked us as a congregation to pray for some people who had been devastated by a tornado, and the whole congregation prayed together at that moment for those people. What a good reminder to become fanatical about praying for people God puts on your mind.
Not long ago I encouraged my class of women at my church to do this, and a few days later I received an email from one of the women, Janis, telling me that years ago one of our pastor’s wives stopped her at church and said that God had wakened her in the middle of the night and put Janis’s name on her heart. Even though she didn’t know Janis very well at the time and had really no idea of her particular situation, she simply prayed for her. And then the next time she saw Janis, she told her so.
Janis said it was a turning point in her spiritual journey—to know that God loved her so much that he would waken this pastor’s wife and she would be willing to pray for her—well, it just demonstrated to Janis that God cared about her difficult situation and others cared for her, too.
Later when I saw this pastor’s wife and told her the story, she didn’t even remember it. But she had simply been sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s guidance and instead of being irritated that she was waked up in the middle of the night, took it as an opportunity to pray for Janis. And then she told her and God used that in Janis’ life as a major moment of encouragement.
3. Become fanatical about writing notes.
I know—handwritten notes are practically a thing of the past. But there is something so special about getting a handwritten note, either delivered personally or by snail-mail, that says you really did care enough to send the very best. Here’s as easy way to do it: Buy some notes and stamps and keep them on hand and ask God to nudge your spirit when it’s time to send one.
I found a card at the dollar store that said “You’re in My Prayer,” so I bought all they had. Well, they’re only two for a dollar. But they look very nice and the words are perfect. So, for under a dollar including postage I can send an encouragement to someone. How hard can that be?
Of course, email works well, too, and e-cards. We can use those without spending a nickel. Let me ask you: How many emails did you send last week? What’s your guess? I actually counted mine for a week and I had sent over 100 emails. I asked myself how many of those emails were sent for the specific reason that I wanted to encourage someone? Not too many. What if we all decided we could send one encouraging email everyday—just one a day. Again, let God nudge you or use a list of people. For example, your class at church, a list of your co-workers, your family members.
Between my two brothers there are 40 people in my close extended family whose email addresses I have and it would take me 40 days if I did one a day. How about your family?
4. Become fanatical about remembering birthdays.
Put the birthdates of family, friends, coworkers, pastors—important people in your life—on your calendar, and simply send a card. Again, you can buy boxes of cards to hold the price down or shop at a dollar store, or you can send e-cards. But if you don’t put these on your calendar, you’ll let some birthdays slip up on you.
I’ve begun doing that for the women in my church and for the people on our mailing list at The Christian Working Woman—those who have given us their birth date—and we send out birthday cards to them too, and I’ve been amazed at how many people are encouraged to receive a special birthday card—and it’s so easy to do! If you are the leader of a Bible study or a Sunday school class or whatever, wouldn’t this be easy for you to do?