Last week I was down. Discouraged. Depressed. Ever been there?
It’s not that anything major happened. It’s not that I failed, forgot something, or fell on my face. It was just one of those days – the natural, emotional ups and downs of being an imperfect human in an imperfect world.
I don’t always feel like this – some days I feel on top of the world. I feel like a success where everything is going my way. This was not one of those days.
But something happened that changed it all for me. It was nothing magical, nothing massive. Matter of fact, it was a simple text message.
One of my mentors sent me the most encouraging text message in the midst of a difficult time. What happened as a result? I found a new sense of motivation. My eyes opened. My face lit up. I got up and continued to make progress on my goals.
That text message taught me something about changing the world. In the back of our minds, we don’t really believe we can change the world. We know Billy Graham, Bono, and missionaries in a third world country can.
But us? Yea, we’re too simple. Too normal.
But that sort of thinking can cause you and me to miss the miraculous moments all around us that are ripe for our voice of encouragement.
We all know we’re supposed to encourage others, but how often does it really happen? How often do we interrupt our own progress to enable someone else’s? That text message didn’t take a lot of work. But it made a massive difference in my life. I still remember it and probably will for the rest of my life.
Encouraging others doesn’t have to be a lot of work. But it does require slowing down enough to notice the people around you.”
Don’t just notice how people can benefit you, but notice what they are contributing to the world, and say something about it.
It won’t only make someone’s day. It might just change their life.
Speak Up
Why don’t we speak up?
Are we too busy? Are we jealous? Too distracted by our own worries?
Your words have tremendous power. Just as it did in a simple text message. As a leader, you have influence. People follow you because they look up to you. Your encouragement can change the course of someone’s life. I’m not even kidding.
When I was a kid in middle school, a friend of mine told me I should lead worship. That was the most ridiculous thing I’d ever heard in my life up to that point.
Not only do I lead worship all the time now, I train worship leaders and invest in other worship leaders all over the world. Wow. Who knows – without that friend speaking up, I may not be doing what I’m doing today.
How many times in your life could you have spoken up and didn’t? What destinies could you have influenced? Whose life could you have changed?
No, you don’t have to quit your job, drain your bank account, and ignore your family to encourage someone. All it takes is a text message. Or a phone call. Or in person, speaking with sincerity and love.
What Is Your Plan?
Imagine if we all did this? Would the world look different? I believe it would.
I’ve decided that this needs to become a regular part of my life. If I don’t plan it, I’ll resort to my usual self-centered lifestyle.
What would it look like you were intentional about encouraging someone? We talk a lot about being intentional about dreams, goals, plans, and forward progress. But whose life are you lighting up with encouragement?
- What if you committed to sending 3 encouraging texts every day?
- What if you committed to calling 1 person a week, simply to encourage?
- What if you committed to encouraging 2 people every Sunday at church, in person?
Think about it. What could this do for you?
In all honesty, there’s no better way to deal with discouragement than to encourage someone else.
I don’t mean to give an overly simplistic answer to the world’s problems. But rather than just ignoring the issues and resolving to do nothing, we can change the world by changing lives every day.
You never know the effect your encouragement can have on someone. You may just give them the necessary motivation to go and change their world. Compounded over years? You’ve changed the world in some way.
Are you in? Let me know in the comments!
[ois skin=”Beyond Sunday 2″]
You are an encouragement for us, those who are in the mission field. Thank you, David.
I’m in. On a regular basis, I tell my band and people that I lead…you have an opportunity to change someone’s life and destiny, just by speaking words of hope and encouragement into their lives. Yesterday I messaged/emailed all of them individually to let them know how much I appreciate them. As we pray for people and pray to be used by God, He sets up encounters between them, the Holy Spirit, and us. We have the chance to step in and be Jesus to them. I call these God-moments. When we tell them the good things we see in their lives, their potential to be used by Jesus, and yes, sometimes loving truth, the lights come on. Most people are discouraged. Most people don’t see what they CAN be or CAN do. They are too busy listening to the voices of shame, discouragement, fear…the messages that come from the pit of hell. WE can change that, if we just will! In the end, it’s not our worship leading, how well we plan the service, how good the music sounds, or how creative the lighting is that will matter. It is the words of love, hope, and encouragement that we share with them…it’s the time we take with them personally…it’s the investment into our PEOPLE that will influence their lives.
Encouragement has always been a natural thing for me. I love to praise when I notice something extraordinary or even anything above average. I have found that though I may encourage far more than I receive back, I find that God is my biggest encourager. We are not to encourage to receive back praise or to keep tally of how much we get back. We are to encourage others so that they might be empowered to reach higher and further in their God given destinies. God encourages us back with little things throughout our days and with a nod of Heaven’s approval that only our spirits recognize.
So powerful! I get a double portion every time that I read your posts.I get encouraged big time and get to share it with band mates and they too are encouraged! Thank you David for your passion,transparency and always saying “yes” to the Lord to blazing new trails and thereby lighting the way so we can go deeper and navigate more easily upon.