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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Encouragement (among believers) (11/08/07)
I can’t remember the last day of my life where some sort of challenge hasn’t crossed my path. It seems that even the best of days come with trials, be they the smallest kind. And somehow, it’s these days that I find my faith to be most vulnerable. I think that’s because the more serious problems seem so overwhelming that I’m more inclined to give them over to God and the smaller ones seem so insignificant that I feel capable of handling them myself. And on those best of days, I find that I am so focused on those minute problems that I don’t look around long enough to see the trials of others and I miss the opportunity to encourage my brothers and sisters who are truly afflicted.

Every time I’ve asked God for comfort and encouragement, He has provided it through the love and fellowship of other believers who have the ability to look past their own trials and tribulations to see my suffering. And it occurs to me that for Him to touch me through their compassion, His hands must be working through them, touching them, moving their spirits to lift mine.

By definition, encouragement is to inspire hope, courage or confidence. It is seen as a blessing to the benefactor, the one who is suffering, the one who is lifted out of their sorrows and into the arms of the Lord. And yet what a gift for the encourager to have the hand of the Lord touching him or her. What better way to be encouraged, to be inspired to hope, than to encourage a fellow believer during his or her times of affliction? What better way to increase your faith than to allow the hands of God to move through you to lift the spirits of another?

The gift of encouragement is truly a gift indeed.
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Marita Vandertogt
11/17/07
It's true, encouragement blesses both the giver and the receiver. Thanks for the reminder of our calling to each other, and to stay focused on the One who can use us as His source of encouragement.
Seema Bagai
11/18/07
You make good points in this piece.

A little grammar tip on who and whom. If you refer to he or they, use who. If you refer to him or them, use whom.

Keep writing.
Dee Yoder
11/19/07
Yes, we often try to take on the "little" things ourselves, not realizing how they can build into too much to handle. Good points made in your devotional!