Be an encourager!

We all need encouragement. I know I need a lot of it. Recently God has brought to mind the many people who have encouraged me. When I was down, feeling a lack of confidence, or hurt God sent someone to build me up. God sends people to us at different times to encourage us in different ways based on our area of need. In fact God's word tells us to encourage one another. Hebrews 3:13 says "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness."

Every day we are to encourage one another. Encourage means to strengthen. Through encouragement we gain strength to keep going. This is very important for us as we serve the Lord. When thing get hard we may be tempted to get our eyes off of God, to turn away, or even to fall into sin. Galatians 6:9 says, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." What helps us apply the first part of that verse to our lives is the encouragement of the second part..."we will reap a harvest". Even people in the highest places of leadership need encouragement. Encouragement also means to stimulate or to rouse to action, to excite. It is those who encourage us who enable us to be all we were called to be, who help us shine. Barnabas is a great example of this. His name means "Son of Encouragement". My Life Application Study Bible says this about him. "Barnabas was drawn to people he could encourage, and he was a great help to those around him. It is delightful that wherever Barnabas encouraged Christians, non-Christians flocked to become believers. Barnabas' actions were crucial to the early church. In a way, we can thank him for most of the New Testament. God used his relationship with Paul at one point and with Mark at another to keep these two men going when either might have failed. As Barnabas' life shows we are rarely in a situation where there isn't someone we can encourage." Because of Barnabas' encouragement Paul and Mark were inspired to keep going in the direction God was leading them and were able to accomplish great things.

Today let's remember those who have encouraged and inspired us in the Lord and determine to look for someone we may encourage in the body of Christ. "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:25 "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." Hebrews 10:24

Kim Ratcliffe