Supernatural Encouragement

“The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary.  He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.” Isaiah 50:4

I admire people who always know what to say, when to say it, and where.  These are folks who encourage with thoughtful words straight from the heart.  For them, it comes naturally.

But for you, it can come supernaturally.  If you weren’t born with the gift of encouragement, God can teach you.  There’s no better instructor than the Lord Himself, because He wrote the lesson in Isaiah 50:4.

God, the all-time great Encourager, says He will give you His words to sustain those around you.  He even wants to show you, first thing in the morning, those who may need an encouraging word.  He’ll teach you who to be on the lookout for, such as a neighbor who just received a bad medical report, a co-worker who didn’t get the promotion, or a family member who feels hurt and neglected.

And what does God require of you, His student?  “Listen like one being taught.”  That means active listening, not passive.  It means cooperating with the Lord when He nudges you to say a kind word to an unsuspecting friend.  Folks all around you are facing failure; you can add richness and meaning to their lives as you offer supernatural encouragement.

Ask God to show you today that special person who needs a word of hope.  Ask the Lord to give you His words and then keep your eyes open through the morning and afternoon.  It may be someone who is discouraged about his job — remind him of past successes.  It may be your spouse who feels overwhelmed with the workload — how about an extra hug?  Encouraging others costs no more than a bit of time and effort, yet who can put a price on its value?