You know the old song that says at home on the range, "There never is heard a discouraging word." Well, I don’t know where that range is, but it’s my experience that our worlds are full of discouraging words, how about you?
We need to encourage our co-workers, our family, our spiritual leaders, and our Christian brothers and sisters. We also need to encourage people who have failed. Barnabas was that kind of an encourager. When Mark had failed and the Apostle Paul didn’t want to give him another chance, Barnabas insisted on allowing Mark to travel with them. So, when they could not agree, Paul went one way with Silas, and Barnabas and Mark went another way.
Later on Paul asks Timothy to get Mark and bring him for "Mark is useful to me for service." Now you don’t have to fill in too many blanks to see what happened here. Barnabas had taken Mark, taught him, encouraged him, and Mark had become a profitable servant of Jesus Christ. Obviously, Paul recognized this, too, and I imagine Paul learned a valuable lesson from Barnabas. It is really important to encourage people at times of failure.
Know anyone who has failed lately? Know anyone who thinks they just can’t try again, because they didn’t succeed before? Encourage them. They need to know that all is not lost and they can go from where they are.
Last, but not least, we should learn to encourage ourselves. Romans 15:4-5 tells us "For all those words which were written long ago are meant to teach us today; that when we read in the Scriptures of the endurance of men and of all the help that God gave them in those days, we may be encouraged to go on hoping in our own time."
If you need encouragement, a sure fire method is to spend time in the Word of God. It was written for our encouragement, that we might have hope. If you’re not using the Word of God daily in your life, don’t be surprised if you become discouraged easily. Nothing can replace God’s words of encouragement. There are some passages put in there just for you; just to help you get through whatever you’re facing. But if you don’t spend time in the Bible, you’ll never know what they are.
I asked you to consciously make a decision to encourage one person. Today, why don’t you double that? Encourage two people today, and while you’re at it, encourage yourself.
Our 25th Annual Weekend Getaway – The Life You Were Meant to Live – is April 19-21, 2013. Kay Arthur is our Special Guest Speaker. This will be a conference you won’t want to miss. For more information or a brochure call 630-462-0552 or go to our website at: www.christianworkingwoman.org.