Encouragement – Day #16

Hebrews 12  (NLV)

“All these many people who have had faith in God are around us like a cloud. Let us put everything out of our lives that keeps us from doing what we should. Let us keep running in the race that God has planned for us.Let us keep looking to Jesus.”

It is a rather strange thing, getting older. I almost feel like I know more people who have died than people I know that are still alive. I let my mind wonder back in time and my heart misses those people in my life that were my “cheerleaders.” They invested in me with their time, love, and prayers. So when I read this passage in scripture, I feel a bit encouraged. When I think about when times are hard, or when a great joy is to be celebrated – my cloud of witnesses are there cheering me on. “Don’t give up!” “You can do it!” “You are loved!” 

This is all wonderful and I greatly appreciate it, but sometimes I want more than a cloud. I want someone with skin on. I want to feel their warm embrace. I want to see their eyes of love peering into my eyes. This makes me think of a very important fact – if I want something – I need to be giving it. That reaping and sowing principal exists in every part of our lives.

We are commissioned with a task to love, to share God every day. I used to think that the only way to be used of God was to be in the ministry. I was wrong! Every day and in every way, we can be a vessel to be used by God. The scripture also states that we need to “keep running the race that God has planned for us” that clearly expresses the need to be open to be used for his work. Whether your cloud of loved ones that has gone on before you, or your stable base of encouragers here on earth, you are commissioned to “keep on” so that others may benefit from you. “You can do this!”

Prayer:

Father God, thank you that I have the cloud of witnesses to cheer me on. You know that sometimes I need quite a bit of encouraging. However, Father, help me not just to take it all for myself, but help me to be an encourager for others along this journey. Thank you so much.

Thoughtfulness Action:

Whatever your age is – you probably have lost a someone who encouraged you. Take a moment to relive the words they left in your heart. Can you use those words to help someone else going through a rough time? Decide to be a catalyst of God’s love and encouragement.