© 2023 Coastal Church. All rights reserved | Privacy & Security
1160 West Georgia Street Vancouver, BC, V6E 3H7
On a scale of 1 to 10, how encouraged are you today? Are you somewhere in the middle?
As we go through each day, I think we often walk a very fine line between encouragement and discouragement. One moment, everything is positive – your feeling good – and then out of nowhere, something doesn’t quite go as you had hoped or you hear a piece of bad news and you find yourself battling discouragement.
Over this past year, probably more than any year in recent history, this world has given us many opportunities for discouragement. While most people try hard to stay positive even in challenging situations and seasons, we can all get discouraged.
So how have you been dealing with discouragement?
Over this past year, I’ve become convinced there is an often-overlooked weapon that we have that trumps all self-help tips and defeats discouragement every time. Are you ready for this?
The way to turn the tables when facing discouragement is to go encourage someone else.
Normally, you would think you could only be an encouragement to someone when you are on a high. That’s what makes this such a great weapon! Encouraging someone else works even if you are down. Both the encourager and the encouraged get lifted up!
Entrepreneur and Wall Street blogger, James Altucher said, “The reality is: when you’re feeling discouraged, the best way to lift yourself up is to encourage others. Then you see your possibilities, instead of being buried in your miseries.”
Speaking personally, I think what has helped me keep my sanity and stay encouraged over the past 18 months is that I’ve endeavoured to stay focused on encouraging others around me. Encouraging people to stay connected and not isolated – to centre on Jesus and on heaven’s big picture.
Keeping my eyes less on myself and more on those I love, on my neighbours and on my brothers and sisters in Christ has been energizing and has kept me encouraged.
The Art of Encouragement
Like any powerful weapon such as a sword or even a martial art, it can take a bit of practice to learn how to master the art of encouraging others. If you have the motivational gift of encouragement that the Bible mentions in Romans 12:8, this may come easy to you, but we can all grow in this and become master encouragers.
Here are just a few things I’ve learned about encouragement along the way that will serve as a powerful weapon against discouragement:
“Our prayers for you are always spilling over into thanksgivings. We can’t quit thanking God our Father and Jesus our Messiah for you! We keep getting reports on your steady faith in Jesus, and the love you continuously extend to all Christians.” Colossians 1:3-4 MSG
Choosing to see the progress will allow us to enjoy even more progress!
And as we are building up our volunteer teams again for hosting, or production, or kids and youth church, it has been such a huge encouragement to see people stepping up and offering to serve at our various campuses and microsites. Every one of you who are serving are such a huge encouragement to our church family! And as a bonus you get to experience the joy and encouragement of serving – the helper’s high.
“…and let’s consider how to encourage one another to love in word and in action, not abandoning our own meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:23-25 NASB (paraphrase)
As we continue forward anticipating all the great things God has ahead let’s learn to wield this powerful weapon against discouragement and become masters of encouraging others.
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If you are encouraged by this blog and have not made Jesus the Lord of your life we would like to give you the opportunity to receive Him today. We invite you to pray this prayer out loud:
“Dear God, I thank you that you love me and have a plan for my life. I believe Jesus died on a cross and rose again for me. I put my trust in Jesus Christ to come into life and make me a new person. Amen”
If you prayed this prayer, we would love to support you in this new life of faith. Click HERE for next steps.
Also, if the “Pray With A Pastor” button is visible on your screen, you may click now to pray with one of us and be encouraged in your next steps.
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© 2023 Coastal Church. All rights reserved | Privacy & Security
1160 West Georgia Street Vancouver, BC, V6E 3H7