When I was studying the word encouragement I understood that it means to give support, confidence or hope to someone. It means to invigorate, inspire or motivate. To encourage someone means to boost their spirit, cheer them on. You may say phrases like you got this, good job or keep holding on. It’s easy to encourage someone else, right? Whether you mean it or not. We are use to lifting someone one else up but when we are in a hard place, we sometimes find it hard to encourage ourselves.
When we are feeling down. When we are facing a difficult task. When things seem to not be going right or when we feel afraid it’s hard to find the words that we need to pick ourselves up. It’s not that we don’t know what to say. We know the word of God . We know all the inspirational gospel songs; however, I think that it’s finding the strength to do it. When you are bogged down with emotions because of your circumstances it may be complicated to tap into your power and speak a word over yourself. Does this sound familiar to you? Have you ever been there? Can you relate?
The more I thought about what it meant to encourage I thought about David. The Bible tells us that when David was in the wilderness he was in distress because the people were threatening to stone him, so David had to encourage himself in the Lord. He had to build himself up. He had to pray for himself. He had to motivate himself. David had to remember that the same God that delivered him from the claws of the bear would deliver him in the wilderness. Maybe you are in distress or feeling hopeless. Maybe you are doubting if God is really there. If so I want to encourage you to encourage yourself. Don’t give up hope. Don’t get discouraged. God is only a prayer a way. He’s not stressing you. He’s stretching you. God wants to know how you will respond. Will you respond in fear and worry or will you respond with confidence and faith?