Weekly Devotional: Words of Encouragement

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” — Hebrews 10:24-25, NIV

Have you ever had someone tell you something and it changed your whole day? Or maybe, someone told you something that changed the course of your life. Perhaps, it was just some encouraging words on a hard day or maybe someone shared their story or life experience. Words can powerful tools to change our outlook on life for both better and worse.

The Bible tells us to encourage one another and build each other up. This means we should use our words to honor God by showing love to others.

Take Heart

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” — John 16:33, NIV

In order to encourage others, we must also have hope and be filled with encouragement. In John, the Bible tells us to take heart because Jesus has overcome the world. Since Jesus has conquered the world, we are able to find hope and peace in him. Our future, despite how mysterious it may feel, is already known to him and we can take heart in this fact.

Spreading Words of Encouragement

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” — Ephesians 4:29, NIV

Spreading words of encouragement does not have to be a difficult task. In fact, there are opportunities to share encouraging words every time we interact with people. Some words of encouragement might just be a comment regarding their work or day, but other times it may be more or even involve sharing the gospel.

Some simple examples of words of encouragement include:

• “You’re doing a great job with this!”
• “I know things have been rough lately, but you’ve grown so much.”
• “Thank you for all your efforts! They are greatly appreciated.”
• “You are loved and valued.”
• “Keep it up, you got this!”

Pulling in encouraging scriptures when someone needs a little uplifting is also a good way to bring some joy to someone’s day. Sometimes sharing your story or experiences is a tool to uplift others. For example, if someone is struggling with a close friend moving far away and you have also experienced this, you can use your story to connect and bring hope to the situation by showing it can get better. 

Renewed Strength

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” — Isaiah 40:31, NIV

Encouragement and putting our faith in God leads to finding renewed strength. This does not mean we will always feel strong or that we can always make others feel better with our words. In fact, oftentimes we may feel the opposite. However, it does mean that as we place our hope in the Lord, we know there is someone we can rely on who is rooting for us and encouraging us each step of the way, even in difficult times.

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