Reminded of His Goodness

In the midst of some recent difficult days, the Lord spoke three specific, encouraging words to my heart.

The first is that I'm not able to cope with the difficult things with my physical strength.  When hardships come, it's the inner strength that He gives me that helps me get through the outside pressures.  He empowers me from within!  He helps me not to falter when life's storms hit me.  "The power of Christ within you is greater than the pressure of troubles around you."  (anonymous)

"I pray that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man."  Ephesians 3:16

The second thing is the Lord reminding me that He cares.  He is mindful of everything I'm facing, and He cares for me.  He loves me as His precious daughter, and He's working to help me.

"Cast all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."  1 Peter 5:7

And the third thing is that He's carrying me.  I may feel alone, but He's right with me and even carrying me when I'm weary.  I may be weak from the various circumstances I'm facing, but I can relax into His arms and let Him carry me.  So precious!

"I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you."  Isaiah 46:4

I'm grateful for your encouraging messages - thank you!  And I'm grateful for the sweet reminders from the Lord!  He is so faithful.

The Power of Encouragement

This past week I have been sick and it has made me very weak and lacking in energy. While I've been resting and recovering, I received several messages of encouragement.  They meant so much to me, and ministered to my heart.  It reminded me of how important encouragement is.  I've always tried to be an encourager because I've seen how powerful it is.  It doesn't need to be fancy - just a few simple words of love and encouragement!

Thinking about all this, I had an idea.  What if everyone reading this chose someone in their "circle" and sent them a message of love and encouragement?!  How powerful that would be!  Many people would be blessed and ministered to like I was.  Shall we do that?  I'll started it off right before I posted this!

"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up."  1 Thessalonians 5:11

"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear."  Ephesians 4:29

"Therefore comfort one another with these words."  1 Thessalonians 4:18

"Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds...encouraging one another."  Hebrews 10:24, 25

"May God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other."  Romans 15:5 

"Encourage one another daily."  Hebrews 3:13 

And the strangely wonderful thing about encouraging others is that we are blessed too!!  Let's start a tsunami wave of encouragement!

The person I sent a message to reminded me of something.  Encouragement produces hope, and we need hope to survive.  "Without hope the people perish."  When we're going through a hard time - physically, emotionally, financially, in any way - it's easy to lose hope.  The thing we're dealing with may seem endless and hopeless.

But encouragement releases fresh hope!  Let's keep the wave of encouragement going.....like the waves of the sea.....unending!

"There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off."  Proverbs 23:18

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."  Romans 15:13

"Hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."  Romans 5:5

Hope is a gift straight from the heart of God!  It endures when we go through hard times.  It never dies, even though it may seem dim during those hard times.  When I'm weak physically, I've learned that I need to ask God to rekindle hope in my heart for better days.  And the encouragement we receive from one another helps to release that hope!

Our God is so good and faithful!  He is our ultimate encourager, and He protects the hope in our hearts from dying.