Thursday, January 16, 2014

Five Minute Friday {encouragement}

sign, 1 Thess. 5:5, encouragement, Five Minute Friday


Today's Five Minute Friday prompt is the word "encouragement" and how there is nothing easy about it.

My first thought was, "well, why would that be?"  Then I set my timer...

Go.

There is nothing easy about it?  I guess that is true when it comes to receiving it.  I'm great at giving it.  I believe it is one of the gifts God has given me.  But receiving it, I'll admit, can be difficult.
Why?
Well, for one thing, sometimes I just want to have a pity party.  To wallow in my stuff.  Sometimes I just don't want to feel better, at least not yet, because of this nasty thing called pride.

And the other thing?  Maybe it is because I feel I deserve the discouragement.  Maybe I've blown it and I know it all too well and when the sweet friends says "It will be ok" I'm thinking no, no it won't because this was too bad, too big, and there are going to be real consequences to this one.  You've been there, right?  You know what I am talking about?

Encouragement is a gift easily given, yet not easily received.  The key to effective encouragement does not lie in the heart of the one attempting to give the gift.  No, it lies in the heart of the recipient.  Encouragement only roots in soft, fertile soil.  In a heart willing to accept the possibility that the encourager is right...that God is bigger and no mistake is beyond His ability to repair.  Humility is vital to the ability to be encouraged.

Stop.

(The Five Minute Friday prompt is courtesy of lisajobaker.com.  It is a fun exercise in writing where you write freely, no editing allowed, for five minutes.  Join me here and let's see what flies out of our fingers each Friday!)

8 comments:

  1. So true, "God is bigger and no mistake is beyond His ability to repair". You are so right on with that! It is so easy to wallow in our stuff, and yeah, I've been there! Praying for an encouraging weekend for you! Happy FMF!

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  2. Loved this phrase "The key to effective encouragement does not lie in the heart of the one attempting to give the gift. No, it lies in the heart of the recipient." Great thoughts. Thank you for sharing your heart. Visiting you from the FMF blog hop :)

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  3. Love this. I too have problems accepting encouragement and I know it's for some of the same reasons.

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    1. I pray the Lord will refine us and move us onward! :) Thanks for visiting!

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  4. I love this too and it's true for me that it's easier to give and to receive. Sometimes receiving feels too easy way out. I feel I have to go wallow in a little bit more just to punish myself. But as you said "God is bigger and no mistake is beyond His ability to repair" and Jesus already took it all. I'm learning to go forth and enjoy my life. I pray very encouraging weekend for you.

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  5. This is so me. Thank you for sharing. For me it's not easy to receive encouragement, especially when I feel I should punish myself a little bit more. But as you said "God is bigger and no mistake is beyond His ability to repair". That is so great truth to live on. Blessings and very encouraging weekend for you.

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