The Encourager Who Never Gets Discouraged

How do we encourage others when we ourselves are discouraged?

How do we pray when we feel too sad or weak to pray?

How in the world is it to boast of one’s weaknesses as St. Paul said in his second letter to the Corinthians?

Every once in a while, a friend with a problem or concern sends me a message, for comfort, enlightenment or encouragement..or simply to be heard, to be listened to.  There are times, of course, when I am not in such a sunny or ‘encouraging’ mood, so to speak, as I go through my own struggles.  I’m certain this is nothing new for many.  Often, I end up encouraging, anyway.  It’s one thing I can’t help but do, no matter how depressed I am, to my own bewilderment at times, apparently, by God’s Grace and Strength, not mine.

One time, I complained to God, saying, ‘How can I encourage when I, myself, am feeling down and discouraged? How can I help others when I can’t even help myself? Can’t I just mope in the corner and wallow in my own depression?’

Selfish, I know.

The Lord made me realize that those times when we are utterly weak, are, ironically, the best times for Him to act.  Because then, it becomes clear to us that we are NOT in control.  We realize that we have nothing in front of the Lord, and that we have absolutely nothing that is greater than Him.  What is left, then, of us is His Imprint on us.

What is left is ALL the Grace and the Glory of God Who created us.

When we realize this, His Strength is magnified and not our weakness.  We are then able to draw strength from Him, Whose Strength never fails.

As our emptiness grows, we become ready to be filled by God.

Then we have something to strengthen others, though not coming from us, but from Him.  We become God’s mere vessels.

When we ourselves are discouraged, there is no need to refuse to help others or to attempt to feebly impress them with insincerity.  It is so much easier to run to our Lord Jesus and drop at His Feet in acceptance of our weakness.  It is always wise to turn to the Lord for help so that it is He who will give the answer when our own souls are not functioning right.  Let’s ask Him to give us the words we must speak, or if words are not what He intends, to learn to be silent, to act according to what He wants.  And what a delightful thing to discover this during our conversation with Him called prayer!

Prayer sustains us.

You see, if God has called us to encourage others, then we better seek daily the Encourager Who NEVER gets discouraged.  Then we can continue doing His Work, day in and day out, in whatever state we are in.  If He is our Strength in weakness, how can we be afraid of being weak?

May the Lord bless you today.

no matter who you are, where you are and what you are going through.

Amazingly, He cares for each one of us..PERSONALLY.

Soak yourself in the comfort of His Word

He never runs out of encouraging words to say,

PRAY.

To God be the Glory.