Encourage One Another

“A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it! (Proverbs 15:23) The motivational gift God gave me at birth is encouragement. It gives me great joy, satisfaction, and a sense of purpose to cheer on, root for, and encourage others. No matter what gift God has given you, Satan will attempt to pervert it. An encourager who is out of fellowship with the Lord can become cynical, judgmental, and destructive to those around him. He will become the very opposite of the man God created him to be. If he desires fulfillment and purpose, he must surrender his life to the Lord and walk in the gift God has birthed in him. Whether you possess the motivational gift of encouragement or not, godly men are commanded to exhort one another daily (Hebrews 3:13). All believers struggle in their faith occasionally and will experience periods when their souls become dry and thirst for words of encouragement. I have endured times when my soul was famished, and God sent brothers and sisters with a word of encouragement for me at precisely the time I needed it most. During one of the lowest periods of my life as a young man, my basketball coach, Jim, told me that he loved me and was proud of me. I actually sat down and cried when he shared these words of blessing. How good was this word spoken in due season! I am thankful for the opportunities God has given me to share an encouraging word with those in need and to see the transformation that occurred as a result. Godly men, look around you for those that are hurting and starving for an encouraging word. Allow God to use you to rain a shower of blessing upon them.