GOT ENCOURAGEMENT?

Have you ever found yourself needing encouragement? You look around for someone to push you, support you or praise your efforts when you are giving it your best and things are not working out for the best… And found no one?

I found myself in that situation but soon came to realize that I always have access to encouragement.  It resides in me. I can encourage myself in the Lord. I remember once a long time ago when the Lord tried to encourage me but I refused to be comforted.

Do you remember a specific time and place where the Spirit of God spoke to you? I was walking around in a store pouting because of something in my life that didn’t seem fair. It happened so long ago that I honestly can’t remember exactly what it was. But I do remember that I had a conversation going on inside of me. One impression was that I should be thankful, things are not all that bad - in fact I am blessed. Then there were other thoughts going on in me that insisted I continue to feel negative.

REFUSED TO BE COMFORTED

I distinctly remember having the sense that the Lord’s comfort was leaving since I refused to be comforted. I suddenly felt panicked, as I understood on some level that the Spirit of God was reasoning with me but I would not receive what He was saying. “Oh, you refused to be comforted huh?”  He said to me. Wait a minute, don’t leave I’ll take your comfort and give you my self-pity, I thought hastily, fearful of losing the grace that was being offered.

When I got home, I looked up the scripture and found the words in Gen 37:35 where Jacob mourned the (believed) death of his son Joseph and when his other children tried to comfort him – he refused. The lesson for me from that day at the store was – I can take it or leave it but encouragement and comfort are already mine.

LOOK INSIDE THE TREASURE CHEST

When I found myself recently needing encouragement, I looked in my heart where I have hidden the word of God and where meaningful songs of old are stored from my youth and I found Psalms and hymns and meditated on them and spoke them back to the Lord as He echoed them back to me. I made melody in my heart to the Lord with songs and hymns and spiritual songs Ephes. 5:19 and I was most definitely comforted and encouraged! David showed us how to do it when he encouraged himself in the Lord his God 1 Sam 30:6.

Are you refusing to receive encouragement that belongs to you? You do already have encouragement and comfort within you– if you accept it.