Love And Encouragement
We all have our moments. And sharing your struggles with others makes you look human. So, here goes, I peed my pants last week. I would like to try and justify me, a grown adult, peeing myself but I have no way to. It just… happened and to be completely honest it’s happened more than once. So, there you have it. I’m only human. I have no superpowers. I am not Captain Marvel. While sharing the Gospel of Jesus with someone, it is always a good idea to sympathize with them. More love and encouragement now. Let’s try it.
Misconceptions About Christians
Anyone else pee their pants? No, just me? Nice. Sharing your struggles in a way of a “you’re not alone” comparison squashes two misconceptions.
1. “Christians don’t sin”—Christians sin all the time. We all do. We get angry, lose our patience, forget about the “New Golden Rule”. We’re all sinful and we all have our moments. We are all human. But, as followers of Christ, we are constantly working on those issues we face daily.
2. “The magic spell”—Accepting Jesus does not release smoke and glitter into the room. There is no magic spell. We are whipped clean in the eyes of God but we are still sinful. Our habits don’t just poof away. As I said, we are only human.
Christians are fighting daily in the same spiritual battle as other people. The only real difference is Christians have Jesus as a shield. He reminds us that we are strong and worthy, that we are His and that we are loved unconditionally. We can encourage other people that way. Someone else out there is dealing with the same thing you are dealing with. You are not alone. Find someone and tell them they can make it through this season in their life. Be an encouragement in someone’s life. You might be thinking, “I don’t know what I would say.” Here’s the thing, just BEING there can be an encouragement. Being that ear and that shoulder to cry on can be an
encouragement to someone.
We have more in common than you think.
Telling your story, though, in a way that seems amazing is different from telling your story in a way that is going to amaze people. So many people today have mental health issues. I struggle with anxiety and depression. Everyone wants someone to talk to, no matter who it is. It costs zero dollars to be a decent human being. That means being a friend to someone, anyone, is literally free. You must engage. If you are going to shine the light of the gospel, it starts with the heart. In Romans, Paul talks about his love for the Romans even though he had never met them. They are the ones who heard him preach, went home to Rome and started churches. He did not know them personally but he still cared for them, prayed for them, and loved them. Be at peace. Encouragement goes a long way.
How do you plan on being an encouragement to those around you?
Whatever your plan is, whatever you need to do, take the first step.
