Personal From the President

You Can Lift Weary Hands and Hearts

How can you go from being anxious, fatigued, and frustrated to a state of being confident, refreshed, and focused? There is one single thing that can make that difference.

That’s the transforming power of encouragement.

The English word “encourage” finds its roots in an old French word encoragier. It literally means to “put in” (“en”) courage. “Courage” refers to valor or a quality of mind that gives the power to meet danger without anxiety or fear. To encourage someone—to put in courage—is to inspire them, to emotionally, mentally and spiritually strengthen them.

Is it any wonder—especially in an age of growing confusion, strife, anxiety, and depression—that the Bible directs us to “encourage one another daily”? (Hebrews 3:13, New International Version, emphasis added throughout).

I, perhaps like you, have found that there are few things more powerful than the personal example of someone fearlessly standing in the breach—speaking heartfelt words of encouragement—taking the time and focus to truly inspire. It’s all too easy to criticize, judge and demean and, moreover, to pile on toxic negativity when others are joining in. That approach quickly saps courage.

But then someone comes along with a different perspective, one that bears, believes, hopes and endures all things (1 Corinthians 13:7). Faces light up. Weary hands lift. One can be exhausted and ready to give up, and then suddenly—strengthened and fueled by a vital word of positive recognition and encouragement—be ready to take on just about anything!

Make no mistake, focused encouragement is a powerful gift!

Over my lifetime, many people have freely given this gift of encouragement to me. Where I might have felt defeated, let down or discouraged, I receive a call, or a note, or a personal comment of simple encouragement. Then, amazingly, I am often ready to pick things back up and quickly return to a resilient place where I can be “strong and of good courage” (Joshua 1:18).

A few days ago I received a short personal letter from a co-worker who simply wanted to express her thanks. She talked about global events producing “a heavy heart filled with sadness and pain.” But what deeply encouraged me was how she found hope through the Church’s outreach. I was deeply touched when she wrote: “I would like to personally thank you for all your support and guiding us in the way of faith and hope. There is an end to everyone’s problems.” As I read her words, I was filled with powerful, grateful encouragement. We all indeed hold a matchless privilege in helping support this essential work of God.

Here’s another thought. During my half-century in the Church, I have learned the valuable lesson of choosing to try to be encouraging, even when I don’t feel like it. There typically is an amazing outcome. Have you ever reached out to encourage someone who is going through a tough time and then found yourself being encouraged by that very person?

That happened to me recently. At the time, I was experiencing some difficult challenges. In fact, I thought I could nod in agreement at least a little with the apostle Paul, where he once said he was “crushed and overwhelmed” (2 Corinthians 1:8, New Living Translation). But I also had heard that a very old and dear friend was going through some undefined difficulties. I decided to call him and catch up. It had been too long since we had talked.

Am I ever glad that I did!

I quickly learned that my old friend was diagnosed with a very serious cancer. He might live a few months, or perhaps a few years. But that’s not all. His whole immediate family faces serious challenges of different natures. I was stunned.

While I was fumbling for words to encourage him, he did something unexpectedly wonderful. He started encouraging me! My long-time friend spoke firmly and confidently with a faith-building child-like perspective of awe about the truth of God, about what we believe and the incredible hope that it gives us. Despite having received a terrible prognosis, he was not bitter. He was not resentful. He was grateful that while time in this life may be short, the time to the reality of God’s Kingdom was just as short. When faced with death, he was thinking life! He thanked me for my recent column about the pearl of great price. He expressed his thanks for the quality of the work the Church does, in delivering the precious truth of God through our publications, television programs and online outreach.

As he continued on, I was more and more humbled. I was more and more encouraged. My mind turned to promises of God delivered by the apostle Paul. Here we read: “God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, NLT).

I had called to offer encouragement. Instead, I received an unanticipated humbling blessing. The person I called to encourage turned the tables. Facing challenges far worse than mine, my friend gave me a priceless gift.

In the days ahead, I challenge all of us to look for ways to spread this marvelous gift of encouragement. We’re now in the winter (in the northern hemisphere), a time between the holy day seasons where days are short and it’s easy to fall prey to being discouraging, criticizing others, and sapping each other of much-needed courage for whatever reason. Paul solemnly warns us: “if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another” (Galatians 5:15, NLT).

Many of us are in tough times or sore trials. When we don’t feel like it, how can we be encouraging? You know the old question: “how do you get air out of a glass?” The answer? “You fill it up with something.” In the case of our Christian life, Paul tells us that “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit” (Romans 5:5). When our hearts are thus full, encouraging others can be far easier and more effective.

In closing, here’s a few things to pray for:

• Pray that God would help you to be an encourager, one who strives to inspire others to acts of valor, of being refreshed and renewed.
• Pray that God would open our eyes to the people who need encouragement—review the prayer lists that circulate among the churches—reach out where you can with cards, phone calls, texts, or personal comments—it doesn’t have to be long or wordy. Simply let people know that you’re thinking about them.
• Pray that we can be careful of how we speak: “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them” (Ephesians 4:29, NLT).

And let each of us be encouraged by this promise: “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you . . . being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:3, 6).