Encouragement: A Gift to Nurture
How powerful are our words? I don’t know about you, but I’m a words of affirmation type of person, and there is nothing like a really good word of encouragement (especially on tough days). Proverbs 12:25 tells us, “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.” Your encouraging words can uplift someone’s spirit and bring joy to their heart. But those words are not just meant for us to soak in, they are also meant to be shared!
Being an Encourager
As a child of God, you are called to be an encourager. Reflect on the people in your life who have encouraged you, and let that inspire you to do the same for others. Acts 20:35 reminds us that it is more blessed to give than to receive.
When you choose to be an encourager, you set in motion a beautiful ripple effect. Your encouragement not only blesses those you uplift but also returns to you in the form of joy and a heart filled with gratitude.
Bible Verses for Reflection:
- Proverbs 12:25 – “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.”
- Acts 20:35 – “In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'”
- 1 Thessalonians 5:11 – “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”
Questions for Reflection:
- Can you recall a time when someone’s encouragement made a significant impact on your day or life?
- How can you be intentional about offering words of encouragement to others?
- In what ways can you encourage and uplift someone today, even with a simple message or gesture?