guest post by Sarah E. Hamilton
I love encouraging people. It’s kind of my thing. I try to brighten people’s days whenever I find the opportunity. So when Hannah Grace said her themes for the past two months were encouragement and relationships, I couldn’t help but talk about encouraging other people. So let’s get to it!
What is Encouragement?
Merriam-Webster says “encouragement” is “the act of encouraging: the state of being encouraged.” That was not helpful at all, so I dug a bit deeper to see what “encourage” means. The dictionary says, “1. To inspire with courage, spirit, or hope. 2. To attempt to persuade. 3. To spur on. 4. To give help or patronage to.” I couldn’t pick just one of those definitions because they are all so good!
What does the Bible say about it? In Acts 13, the synagogue ruler asked for an encouraging word, and Paul preached the Gospel. In Acts 15, the people of Antioch rejoiced and were encouraged because the apostles sent them a letter of instructions on what to do about certain key issues they were facing. Romans 15:4-5 says, “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another…” (ESV, emphasis mine) In 1 Corinthians 14:3b, Paul says, “…the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation” (emphasis mine).
So how do we put all these thoughts together? Here’s my take on the above definitions and verses: Encouragement is building people up through the Scriptures, prophecy, and inspiring words or acts.
Why Should We Encourage?
Because God Does
In Romans 15, Paul said that God is a God of encouragement. That right there is reason enough to want to do it in my book, since Ephesians 5:1a says “Therefore be imitators of God…” (ESV) If God encourages, we should encourage.
It Keeps People from Sin
“But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:13 ESV, emphasis mine). Exhort is a word similar to encourage. Oxford Languages says it means “strongly encourage or urge (someone) to do something.” (Why the “someone” is in parentheses I don’t know.) See the similarities? Encouraging people to be like Christ, to do good things, and to remember they are loved helps keep them on the straight and narrow path.
It Reminds People of their Identity
Speaking of remembering they are loved, encouraging also reminds people of their identity in Christ. You are adopted sons and daughters of the King. You are beautiful, wonderfully made co-heirs with Jesus! If you’re anything like me, you struggle to remember this consistently. Most of the time, especially on social media, we hear about other people’s amazing lives and compare our lives to theirs, only to feel dejected and worthless. But hearing somebody say “You are loved. You are valued. You are seen,” can totally change someone’s perspective and subsequently their life!
So that’s why you should encourage people. But how do you go about it?
How To Encourage People
Optimism is key. Train yourself to see the good things in someone and then you’ll find it easier to tell them about it! Make sure to listen to them as well. In what areas do they feel like a failure? What’s going wrong in their life? Now you can offer specific encouragement that will probably reach them even deeper than general encouragement.
However, you don’t always have the chance to listen, or you might just not know what to say in a specific circumstance. That’s where keeping in mind some things you can say to absolutely anyone is helpful. “You are loved. God cares about your situation and He has a good plan for you. God wants to help you. I might not know what you’re going through, but I see you and I will pray for you.”
Did you think of any Bible verses you could use to support the things I said above? Go search for some! Memorize them so you always have them handy. A few good ones to start with are: Psalm 139, Jeremiah 29:11, Isaiah 54:17, Ephesians 1, Proverbs 3:5-6, John 16:33, Romans 8:28, Joshua 1:9, Philippians 4:6-7, and Isaiah 12:2. (Of course, my list shouldn’t stop you from searching for your own verses to memorize.) You can also point people to encouraging songs that have helped you in your own life or ones you’ve found that might be applicable to their struggle.
You might be thinking, “So, all this is great, Sarah, but I still don’t really know what to say to someone.” Well, how about this? I will offer you some encouragement, and you can see how it’s done!
Some Encouragement 🙂
Whoever you are, wherever and whenever you’re reading this, God sees you. Whatever struggle is taking up most of your brain space right now, He is bigger than it is. He is victorious over our enemy, Satan. So don’t be afraid. Don’t worry. Don’t devote time to stressing over the enemy’s acts – worship God as He fights for you instead!
Maybe your prayer life isn’t doing so well right now. Well, I will be praying that God meets you right where you are. That He takes you in His loving arms and gives you a Daddy-sized hug. He will wipe away all your tears. He will give you everything you need. He will be there for you no matter what’s going on around you. Earnestly seek Him and you WILL find Him! There’s no and, nor, or but about that! It’s a promise straight from Scripture (Deuteronomy 4:29, Jeremiah 29:13, Matthew 7:7, Luke 11:9). Perhaps you think you don’t have much time to devote to seeking Him. Well, I guarantee there are at least a few minutes in your day where you’re standing in line at the store, sitting at a red light, or waiting for someone. Use those times to seek. He will answer you. 🙂
Life is hard. I get it. That’s not a fact we can ignore. So instead, let’s walk through the hard together. God will go before us, paving the way, and we will support each other as we journey behind Him. Because the truth of the matter is that we are overcomers and we can slay giants.
I hope you are encouraged. I hope you are exhorted to encourage others! I hope you are reminded of your identity in Christ. If you ever feel unloved, unseen, or unheard, my inbox is always open. I can’t wait to encourage you. ♥️
To your happiness and healing,
Sarah E. Hamilton
Sarah E. Hamilton is a Christian, author, editor, award-winning public speaker, and the scatterbrained ENTP behind the world of Eravale. She writes fantasy stories that heal. If you’re daring enough, you can venture into Middle-earth, Narnia, or Aerwiar to drag her back into Western PA to talk to you. Or, you can find her on her blog “Contemplations of a Christian Creator,” which is probably easier.
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