Definition: to give support, confidence or hope to (someone)*
Approximate Number of Occurrences in Scripture (63)
Read: 1Samuel chapter 30 for full context of this account
1 Samuel 30:6 (KJV) And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.
That Was Then
What would you do if you returned home to find your entire community destroyed by fire, your home raided and stripped of all your possessions and your family missing? What would be the first thing you would say? This is exactly what happened to David and his army while they were away on a brief mission. The Amalekites, an enemy from the south, invaded the Philistine country and destroyed Ziklag, the home of David and 600 of his fighting men.
“David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep.” (vs. 4). In addition to the initial shock of such an abominable violation, David was mourning the loss of his two wives Ahinoam and Abigail who represented the good part of his life. Add to that the weight of guilt piled on by 600 furious trained assassins who spoke openly of stoning him, and you have a recipe for hopelessness of Biblical proportions.
So what did he do? Probably the most unconventional thing any of us would have done under such traumatic and nerve-wracking circumstances – he encouraged himself in the LORD his GOD because there was no one within his sphere of influence who could encourage him. In a time when most of us would withdraw from GOD in dogged bitterness or give ourselves over to severe depression or even suicidal tendencies, David remembered GOD’s promise to “never leave him nor forsake him”. He placed the blame where it belonged – on his enemies, not GOD. Most importantly, refusing to accept what he saw as the final outcome, he sought the GOD of the impossible for wisdom to reverse his situation.
It may seem trivial from our lens, but this one monologue ignited a major reversal of misfortune for David and over a thousand people in his community. The Bible does not record what David said to encourage himself; but clearly it was enough to catapult him from the depths of depression to the pinnacle of domination. Once again the king was roused and GOD’s mighty man of valor emerged to lead his men to victory by recapturing all that was theirs by Divine right. And recover they did! “David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives. Nothing was missing: young or old, boy or girl, plunder or anything else they had taken. David brought everything back.” (vs 18-19 (NIV)). Ideally, we gain strength from the encouragement of another; but our greatest game changers are dependent on what we say to ourselves when there is no one else around.
This is Now
If you’re anything like me, you probably enjoy spending time with really positive people. The joy that emanates from a truly optimistic person is infectious and can lift one’s spirits higher than any controlled substance or recreational drug. When facing tough times, I rely on three things to get me through: the truth of GOD’s Word, my faith in GOD’s invincible power, and encouragement from extremely enlightened people. To my surprise and delight, that’s exactly what I found one evening just by tuning in to a popular television show. Oprah Winfrey was interviewing Pastor Rick Warren about the success of his mega ministry and multi-platinum selling book “The Purpose Driven Life”. More inspiring and impressive than what he shared with the audience was who he shared with them – Nick Vujicic.
From the moment he took to the stage Nick’s energy was electric, his humor was off the charts and wisdom gushed from him like a waterfall. Cameras panned an audience of people gasping, then crying, laughing, and finally on their feet applauding. As I hung on to every word, I set out to learn what made him so encouraging. At a young 38 years old, he is what most of us are in our dreams. He’s a zealous disciple of Jesus Christ, a devoted husband, new father to four beautiful children, CEO of multiple companies, a world-renown motivational speaker since the age of 19, and the beacon of a ministry too numerous to count. He swims, fishes, surfs, golfs, snowboards and skydives. Boy, just listening to him it seems there’s nothing this guy can’t do; he has it all! But there’s one thing Nick desperately wanted to have since his childhood – limbs.
Nick was born with tetra-amelia syndrome, an extremely rare congenital disorder that left him without arms and legs. He has a small foot on his left hip which helps him balance. At six years old he tried prosthetics but by then already learned how to do many things without them. Since they limited his movement, he decided to forego them. Nick candidly shares that he has certainly had his reasons to be discouraged and even considered suicide at the age of ten. But seeing another boy with no arms or legs made him not only think better of it; but ignited his desire to help and encourage others. And no one does it better! He inspires stadium-filled audiences around the globe with the same encouragement he gives himself: “In any situation, I do the best that I can. It's not what you have, but what you do with it. I am not afraid to try and fail.” and “I believe there's a reason why something happens. You do your best and trust in GOD and never give up. I grew up with this mindset and was thankful for what I had. Not only did my parents raise me in such a beautiful way, but they had the courage to have more children.”** Whatever your plight, be encouraged!
Who Said That?!!!
““Sometimes when you're in a dark place you think you've been buried, but you've actually been planted.” - Christine Caine***
What Do You Say?
AFFIRMATION: "I am always ready with words of encouragement for those who need it."
Thanks for reading my post. If you enjoyed it, feel free to share this blog with everyone and check out the corresponding Podcast for deeper insight. You can also join our Member Community by subscribing - we'll make sure you never miss a post. Members can share comments, stories and keep the conversation going in our Discussion Forum. Additionally, you can support this blog by donating any amount on our Donate page. Until next time… be well and watch your mouth!
*www.merriam-webster.com,
** http://www.nickvujicic.com/
***www.brainyquote.com