Encouraging One Another

Hebrews 10:25, "And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near." (NLT)

I have often said that each of us need encouragement and each of us need to be a person that encourages others. I was reminded of this need as I was reading a beautiful card that someone shared with me last night at church. It was a note of appreciation but it also contained some powerful words and phrases of encouragement. That card has served as an impetus for the sharing of these thoughts on the blog today.

The "spirit of discouragement" is easily recognizable in our world. Discouragement can visit our lives as we listen to the news broadcasts or even the conversations that we have with various individuals throughout our day. Can I share a confession with you? Listening to the news concerning the difficulties that our world is facing as well as the trials that individuals are facing can be overwhelming. The Psalmist David even wrote that he "encouraged himself in the Lord his God." (I Samuel 30:6) 

BUT there are times that we need the encouragement of others. There are those times that God not only calls the church to encourage one another but He uses the church to encourage each other. The Apostle Paul reminded the Hebrews about the need of meeting together (do not neglect the assembling of yourselves). But he also reminded them of the need to encourage (exhort) one another!! 

I believe that encouragement is one of our "corporate opportunities" or do I dare say "responsibilities?" Do you take time and make the effort to encourage others? If our answer is no, then why is our answer no? I am not simply agreeing that we need to encourage others; I am talking about actually sharing encouragement with someone. You might truly enjoy the sense of accomplishment as you choose to practice this call/mandate from the Bible. 

Let us make an effort to encourage someone today!! Pay your blessings forward as you share encouragement with someone today!!