God, the Encourager

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.(1Thessalonians 5:11)

            God is an encourager and I’ve found, through His Holy Spirit, He prompts people to reach out to you when you need it the most. Have you ever received a call from a friend right when you longed for it?  Maybe you got a text message from a girlfriend checking on you and they had no clue you were down in the dumps. I believe that is a result of God whispering your name to them. They were obedient to His holy nudge.

            This week was an emotionally difficult week for me but I am thankful for all God’s encouragement through others. My prayer partner, who is a substitute teacher, was told by the Lord  to block out time this week to spend with me and had no idea why, but she was obedient. We ended up spending an entire girls’ day together shopping and having lunch.  I was eternally grateful she was used by the Lord to rescue me from the pit. Another long-time friend called me out of the blue and asked me to dinner. She even came bearing gifts!  What a beautiful child of God she is.  Others texted me for no reason other than to check in.  God had placed me on their hearts. I am praising Him for using others to let me know I am loved.

             Ladies, God hears your desperate cries. 

            He knows when you can’t take another step.

            He is not an absentee God.              

            God will rescue you.

            This week, I sought the Lord’s rescue rope through His Word, prayer and praise music and he began to lift me up. Psalm 40: 1-3 promises: I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the LORD  and put their trust in him.

            God is our solid rock when the ground is unsteady below us.

            While I received so much from the Lord and from others this week, I am praying that I will also act on the Holy Sprit’s nudge when someone else needs an encouraging word. When an old friend comes to mind, I need to pray for them immediately, then contact them  When the Lord speaks a name to me, it’s important I reach out to them. I confess there have been times where I ignored God’s prompting and later found out the person He was placing on my mind was either sick or going through a hard time. I hated it that I did not contact them! I want to be the hands and feet of Christ, don’t you?

            So today I am praising God for His saints who answered His call.  I am praising Him for His mercy.  I am praising God for His love.  God is good.  He sees us when we are down and He lifts us up. He holds our hand and helps us to stand again.