To extend encouragement to others, you personally need to be encouraged.
Last year, my family walked through some stress. The three ladies in my house all faced rough reports from doctors. Kimberlyn’s four-wheeler accident uncovered a bone tumor in her shoulder that baffled several doctors. With each visit and referral, we were told that the next specialist would know if the growth was cancer or not. Final referral to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital (Memphis, TN) connected us with the specialist who did the surgery. We felt the pressure of uncertainty. It didn’t feel real good.
To make it even more ‘interesting’, Patti and Rozy had test results that initially weren’t favorable (Patti-internal; Rozy-in her gum). Yeah, it wasn’t pleasant. The reports are good now, but walking through it wasn’t easy.
The picture above was taken last year during a day of tests at St. Jude’s. Kimberlyn is great; her next appointment isn’t until September. Good report then will be the end of her treatment. I have had several ask, “Y’all look happy; why weren’t you falling apart?” Why? In the middle of that stress, we were buoyed by God’s strength. Our family benefited from the encouragement of community, and we also knew how to seek out God’s encouragement when we were alone.
I appreciated the encouragement that came from my church family and Godly believers, but I also needed God’s grace when I was alone – all by myself. Today, I want to share with you three sources from which I drew the encouragement. Right in the middle of crummy scenarios, I was still able to find strength.
For the 16 months in which David lives in Philistine territory under the “protection” of Achish of Gath, the Bible doesn’t record David seeking the Lord for anything. David isn’t prepared for the impending distress. Not seeking the Lord is always a setup for disaster.
As David and his crew return from being rejected by the Philistines, evil Amalekites destroy their “secret” base in Ziklag, plunder the city, burn the houses, and take all the citizens hostage including the wives and children of David’s warriors (1 Samuel 30:1-5). David’s wives are also taken, but his men aren’t at all sympathetic.
David is in dire straits. David’s leadership (without seeking God’s direction) is flawed; his orders open the door to catastrophe. The strained loyalty of his fighters capitulates to discussions of stoning David.
Finally, at this bleak moment, David turns his attention to the place where it should have been all along. Prayer brings him back into relationship with his true Defender. When his closet friends were talking of stoning him, David strengthened and encouraged himself in the Lord (30:6).
With his focus reestablished, David seeks direction from the Lord (30:7-8). God commands him to lead the attack and promises him victory. At God’s direction, David and his men marshal themselves and witness the God-promised recovery (30:9-20). Not one of the kidnapped family is hurt!
I hope your friends aren’t ready to hurt you! If discussions of your downfall are already underway, you better act quickly. Get your focus back on Christ! Keep your focus on the Lord. Seek first His kingdom and righteousness (Matthew 6:33).
Do you need encouragement? Even if you are all alone, you can be encouraged as you draw from THREE READY SOURCES:
#1 Your Position in Christ: Paul extols the “encouragement from being united with Christ” (Philippians 2:1 NIV) as a provocation to live and to love like Christ.
#2 Scripture: The Bible “was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Romans 15:4 NASB)
#3 The Holy Spirit: The same Spirit who encouraged early church growth encourages us. “The church then had peace . . . and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers.” (Acts 9:31 NLT) I am praying for this kind of Holy Spirit encouragement in Valley Fellowship today!
Christ’s life encourages you, God’s Word encourages you, and the Holy Spirit encourages you, AND, don’t forget you also have the encouragement of community! (check out yesterday’s post)
Encourage yourself in the Lord! Receive His mighty strength. Mourning may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning. The light ahead of you is not an oncoming train. As you encourage yourself in the Lord, the light ahead of you is His direction, a lighted-path to victory.
