The Gift of Encouragement
July 14, 2011
I received an email today from a friend. It was a simple email -- only a few sentences in length. But it touched a part of my spirit that was thirsty, and it provided a cup of cool water in a dry place.
Everyday we encounter people who have hidden thirsts. They may appear confident and strong. But if we could see into their hearts and minds, we would see doubts, fears, and worries tucked deep in a secret place. Doubts, fears, and worries that God never intended them to carry.
As Christians, we often yearn for the miraculous gifts of Jesus. The gifts the disciples experienced at and after the Pentecost when they found themselves able to speak fluently in languages they had never learned, to touch and heal the sick, and even to raise the dead!
Compared to those gifts, the gift of encouragement seems so trivial and mundane. Yet, isn't it a gift that can speak the hidden language of the heart, touch and heal a wounded soul, and give new life to a deadened spirit?
Ask God to show you the people in your life who could use the miraculous touch of encouragement today. Don't be surprised if He nudges you to someone you would least expect. Scatter the seeds of encouragement generously and you will be participating in the miraculous touch of God. It only takes a moment to speak a kind word or send an affirming email. Who knows? You might even save a life!
Everyday we encounter people who have hidden thirsts. They may appear confident and strong. But if we could see into their hearts and minds, we would see doubts, fears, and worries tucked deep in a secret place. Doubts, fears, and worries that God never intended them to carry.
As Christians, we often yearn for the miraculous gifts of Jesus. The gifts the disciples experienced at and after the Pentecost when they found themselves able to speak fluently in languages they had never learned, to touch and heal the sick, and even to raise the dead!
Compared to those gifts, the gift of encouragement seems so trivial and mundane. Yet, isn't it a gift that can speak the hidden language of the heart, touch and heal a wounded soul, and give new life to a deadened spirit?
Ask God to show you the people in your life who could use the miraculous touch of encouragement today. Don't be surprised if He nudges you to someone you would least expect. Scatter the seeds of encouragement generously and you will be participating in the miraculous touch of God. It only takes a moment to speak a kind word or send an affirming email. Who knows? You might even save a life!
Posted by Rosemary Hines.
