Encouragement
"When words are many, sin is not absent but he who holds his tongue is wise." Proverbs 10:19
Every morning, Monday through Friday, I listen to NGEN Radio. For those of you that don't know what NGEN is.. it is a part of KSBJ. It is directed towards a more younger crowd with music that is geared towards Hip Hop, Rock, Alternative, etc...
Well every morning at 6:45 the DJ, Carlos, says the morning's "Daily Dose". This morning was quite impactful for me and the verse used is the one that begins today's blog. Have you ever stop to think about something you have said to someone or about someone even in anger? I mean really stopped to think about how what we say can truly impact someone. Girls... you know we do this. We will talk about another girl out of spite, anger, resentment, jealousy, etc.. and the most vile words will come out of our mouths. It says in Proverbs 26:22 "The words of gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts". Have we ever stopped to think of the impact those words will have on that other girl if they got back to her (which we know has happened)? I am in no way pointing fingers. I am just as guilty of being a caddy girl at times as the next. But this morning I really stopped to think about how and when my words are more of a discouragement than an encouragement to that person.
In a study I have been doing by Beth Moore, she is so passionate about this situation. She is so passionate about the fact that we are sisters in Christ and should be building each other up and not tearing each other down. We are supposed to be the support circle. We already have to deal with the words of the world coming from people who don't see eye to eye with us. We don't need to be "those girls" to our sisters. We should be offering words of comfort and love. Words of understanding and patience. We should be loving them as Christ loves us. As sisters and even brothers as well, we should be showing Christ's love towards everyone.
This scripture comes to mind when I think of this: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God."
God has comforted us in our times of pain and hurt. It says in Psalm 34:18 "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." I cannot tell you how many time I have written and repeated that verse over the course of the past year. God is our Comforter. And as son's and daughter's and as brother's and sister's we are called to love and comfort one another as Christ has loved and comforted us in our times of pain and trouble. We are called to encourage and not discourage.
I have recently been in a couple situations where I have been exposed to both the encourage and the discourage of my sisters and where I have had the choice to encourage or discourage someone.
I have a close friend that is going through some uneasy times. I won't go into the details, but I would never wish these kind of struggles on my worst enemy. Their have been so many times I have wanted to scream that this friend. Scream at them to wake up and ask them if they are listening to themselves speak. To tell them they are not following the word of God or that they need to think in this way. I will admit, I have cracked at one point with this friend and have immediately retracted my comments because I knew they were not coming from a place of love but a very worldly feeling. My frustration in this situation comes from passion, but I have had to learn when my passion grows to something that is not of God. I have had to learn that my words must be sweet (and I pray that every time we get together) and that I have compassion and love for this friend. Trust me, some days it's not easy for the words to be sweet, but God truly is with me during those moments.
As most of you know, I am an extremely emotional person (I still cry at Titanic even though I know what is going to happen, but I digress). You have to come at me a certain way or I will shut down and opening me back up is near impossible. Their are a few of my closest friends who know how to come at me. They come at me calmly and with encouraging words from God's word. They come at me sternly, but softly. Then their are some that come at me and it feels like when I am done I am beat to the mats. Like I have just been through a MMA match and I am bleeding and bruised. I get nothing out of those conversations because I feel discouraged. I come out of those not knowing if God even still cares for me because of my sin. Now I am not saying that the first set tell me what I want to hear, oh no they don't. Not in any way. They all give it to me straight. But it's the approach. The approach feels like it is out of love and true compassion for my heart and the pain that I am feeling. They encourage what I have learned and guide me to the word knowing I need God's comfort and discernment no matter how much it hurts. I love both sets of sisters equally... one set just knows how to come at me a little better.
My question for you today is this, are you encouraging or discouraging those around you? Are you giving and showing them the same love and comfort that God has shown and given you? My prayer is for God's help to watch what I say and how I say it. My prayer is to comfort those who need comfort and show God's love to them. My prayer is to be more understanding and not let my anger or past pain contribute to what I say. I pray that you make these your prayers if needed. Let your words be sweet my brothers and sister. I leave you with God's greatest commandment, John 15:17, "This is my command: Love each other".
In Him and For His Glory!
Every morning, Monday through Friday, I listen to NGEN Radio. For those of you that don't know what NGEN is.. it is a part of KSBJ. It is directed towards a more younger crowd with music that is geared towards Hip Hop, Rock, Alternative, etc...
Well every morning at 6:45 the DJ, Carlos, says the morning's "Daily Dose". This morning was quite impactful for me and the verse used is the one that begins today's blog. Have you ever stop to think about something you have said to someone or about someone even in anger? I mean really stopped to think about how what we say can truly impact someone. Girls... you know we do this. We will talk about another girl out of spite, anger, resentment, jealousy, etc.. and the most vile words will come out of our mouths. It says in Proverbs 26:22 "The words of gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts". Have we ever stopped to think of the impact those words will have on that other girl if they got back to her (which we know has happened)? I am in no way pointing fingers. I am just as guilty of being a caddy girl at times as the next. But this morning I really stopped to think about how and when my words are more of a discouragement than an encouragement to that person.
In a study I have been doing by Beth Moore, she is so passionate about this situation. She is so passionate about the fact that we are sisters in Christ and should be building each other up and not tearing each other down. We are supposed to be the support circle. We already have to deal with the words of the world coming from people who don't see eye to eye with us. We don't need to be "those girls" to our sisters. We should be offering words of comfort and love. Words of understanding and patience. We should be loving them as Christ loves us. As sisters and even brothers as well, we should be showing Christ's love towards everyone.
This scripture comes to mind when I think of this: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God."
God has comforted us in our times of pain and hurt. It says in Psalm 34:18 "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." I cannot tell you how many time I have written and repeated that verse over the course of the past year. God is our Comforter. And as son's and daughter's and as brother's and sister's we are called to love and comfort one another as Christ has loved and comforted us in our times of pain and trouble. We are called to encourage and not discourage.
I have recently been in a couple situations where I have been exposed to both the encourage and the discourage of my sisters and where I have had the choice to encourage or discourage someone.
I have a close friend that is going through some uneasy times. I won't go into the details, but I would never wish these kind of struggles on my worst enemy. Their have been so many times I have wanted to scream that this friend. Scream at them to wake up and ask them if they are listening to themselves speak. To tell them they are not following the word of God or that they need to think in this way. I will admit, I have cracked at one point with this friend and have immediately retracted my comments because I knew they were not coming from a place of love but a very worldly feeling. My frustration in this situation comes from passion, but I have had to learn when my passion grows to something that is not of God. I have had to learn that my words must be sweet (and I pray that every time we get together) and that I have compassion and love for this friend. Trust me, some days it's not easy for the words to be sweet, but God truly is with me during those moments.
As most of you know, I am an extremely emotional person (I still cry at Titanic even though I know what is going to happen, but I digress). You have to come at me a certain way or I will shut down and opening me back up is near impossible. Their are a few of my closest friends who know how to come at me. They come at me calmly and with encouraging words from God's word. They come at me sternly, but softly. Then their are some that come at me and it feels like when I am done I am beat to the mats. Like I have just been through a MMA match and I am bleeding and bruised. I get nothing out of those conversations because I feel discouraged. I come out of those not knowing if God even still cares for me because of my sin. Now I am not saying that the first set tell me what I want to hear, oh no they don't. Not in any way. They all give it to me straight. But it's the approach. The approach feels like it is out of love and true compassion for my heart and the pain that I am feeling. They encourage what I have learned and guide me to the word knowing I need God's comfort and discernment no matter how much it hurts. I love both sets of sisters equally... one set just knows how to come at me a little better.
My question for you today is this, are you encouraging or discouraging those around you? Are you giving and showing them the same love and comfort that God has shown and given you? My prayer is for God's help to watch what I say and how I say it. My prayer is to comfort those who need comfort and show God's love to them. My prayer is to be more understanding and not let my anger or past pain contribute to what I say. I pray that you make these your prayers if needed. Let your words be sweet my brothers and sister. I leave you with God's greatest commandment, John 15:17, "This is my command: Love each other".
In Him and For His Glory!
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