I woke up early and blamed it on the time change. As is my habit, I said good morning to God while laying in bed in the dark. A tap on my bedside table wakes up the Apple, displaying the digital version of Eastern Standard Time: 4:12 AM. Continuing with my habits, I say the Shema. Not in my mind, not out loud, but a whisper. Enough of a sound to rearrange the molecules in the air around me.
I love you, God, with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Please show me how to best love you today. You are my God, and I am one of your people.
I add a “thank you” to my prayer as I swing my legs over the side of the bed and my feet hit the floor. For 69 years, I would sit up and twist myself out of bed. During recovery from open-heart surgery, I had to learn to get up without putting any strain on my chest muscles. I’m sticking with this new method even though I’m fully recovered, as it seems more economical somehow. It feels kind of like how Jahmyr Gibbs walks with physical economy back to the huddle after an explosive run with the football.
It's a Monday; I’m in the middle of my second half. My first half was mostly about education, family, and career. Then halftime came along, which for me was about 6 months in the fog of sudden retirement. That was quite a few years ago. My second half has emerged as being mostly about encouragement. My first half was about encouragement as well, but it’s different now. More all-encompassing somehow. In this, my second half, I have more energy for it. I have less responsibility in all the other areas that I attended to in the first half, like earning a living, being a dad, planning the future, etc.
… so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.(Romans 12:5-8 NLT)
I kind of marvel and am endlessly surprised that encouragement is a big part of my gifting. Not the only one, but the main one.
With those feet of mine on the floor, I stood up. At this time every day, I remember that I get out of bed differently since my big surgery. It’s been three years. I’m reminded that today is another bonus day God has added to my life. I strongly suspect He has a reason for this. “Write a blog article about encouragement,” says the whispered shout of my Creator.
Enrich to make rich. Enlighten to understand. Enable to strengthen. Encourage to give courage.
Courage for what? And how is it given, exactly?
So, God, “I have the gift of encouragement; now what?”
“Words.”
OK, God, I’ll try to write a few words. I’ll join the prayer team at church and share some words that you give me for others that you love. That I love. That love me. Your Word created the physical universe. I’m created in Your image. I have Your Holy Spirit in me. I can disturb and fill the air around me with the vibrations of my words. I will intentionally encourage my wife and those closest to me. My words can give others courage. I can put them on paper or save them as electrical charges on silicon chips where they will wait to be activated upon reading.
Courage for what?
Courage is what we all need to deal with anxiety, worry, and fear. We are designed to need it. We need courage to trust God in the midst of confusion, despair, failure, and sickness. You may be coming up short in the courage department. This will trap you on the roundabout of defeat where bearing fruit isn’t happening.
At the Last Supper, Jesus lectured his students. In closing, He “landed the plane with this,” He said,
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 ESV)
No one is immune to tribulation. Everyone needs encouragement. It is normal to encounter a bit of tribulation from time to time. The Scripture tells us what to do about it all over the place. Plus, God has given us community, surrounded us with love, and filled the sanctuary air with His words of truth. He distributed His gifts among us. In their activation, we will always find the “trust exit” on the roundabout of defeat.
You keep track of all my sorrows.
You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
You have recorded each one in your book.
My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help.
This I know: God is on my side!
I praise God for what he has promised;
yes, I praise the Lord for what he has promised.
I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?
What can mere mortals do to me?
(Psalms 56:8-11 NLT)
When you read these words, I pray that you will be encouraged. The Psalmist tells us that courage is made up of prayer and praise. Do the reps, talk to God, surrender your situation to Him, and praise Him. Repeat.
Pride will evaporate, trust will grow, and His will for your next step will come to mind and you will have the courage to take it. Fear will not make your decisions.
I pray that you will be filled with courage to trust God. This is a supernatural thing. You draw this courage from the vine of Jesus to which you are grafted. Jesus is the ultimate source of all encouragement. Believe.
I pray that you will glimpse a bit of the bigger picture of what God is up to all around you. That you will let go of responsibilities that are not yours to own. That you would agree with God that the free will He gives everyone is necessary, even when you would rather be in control of things that you can not control. Surrender.
Remember that God has forgiven you of all your sins. Even the ones you didn’t commit yet. It’s up to you to apprehend His forgiveness by forgiving yourself for your mistakes and those who have hurt you. Forgive.
God made the world the way it is on purpose and for a reason. Your job is to trust Him. No more, no less. And when it's over for you, it will be Hello Jesus! There is no future you can envision that is any better than that. Build up your faith through the habits of thanksgiving, praise, and prayer. Do the reps.
Pray to know God’s will for your next step and courageously take it in faith. Leave the consequences to God. Trust.
Be encouraged.
