Be Encouraged

Yesterday I sent an e-card to a good friend of mine who is going through the second round of chemotherapy treatments for cancer. The process has been long and hard for her; she suffers from chronic fatigue and the treatments simply take everything out of her to the point she may sleep 15-18 hours a day or more.

I picked out a card that was simply silly, nothing heavy or hard to mentally process, and sent it to her with a little note and signed my name, "Giggles". A few hours later she responded with a note saying she hadn't laughed like that in a long while and she appreciated the "word of encouragement"! I wondered what on earth she was talking about—to me, it was just a silly little e-card. But for her, it was a word of encouragement.

Wow! What a feeling! To know my silliness was such an encouragement for my precious friend. My own faith was strengthened and I was encouraged to know God used me in such a simple way to bless her.

"I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith." (Romans 1:11-12 NIV) God intends that we be "mutually encouraged by each other's faith." It's why He has "fitly joined together" those of us who are of the faith. (See Ephesians 4:16) We are encouraged as we encourage each other; we are strengthened as we impart strength to one another—our lives are connected by our faith in Christ.

Oftentimes when we're silent, we hinder the flow of the ministry of the Holy Spirit through us. Send an e-card or a note (a silly or light-hearted one) to a friend or two and watch how God uses it to bring encouragement to your friend and to you. Impart strength to them and you will also be strengthened.

Lord, use me to bring encouragement to others, help me to impart strength to those who are weakened by life's challenges. Lead me to touch a friend's life with Your love. In Jesus' name, amen.

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© 2008 Jan Ross
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