Proving What is Good, Part 2
We've been looking at the Peace Prayer of St. Francis the last couple of days (click here to see the entire text of the prayer). It seems that to really live this out, you have to live almost counter-culturally. Today I'd like to dive into the next couple of lines to see what that might look like.
These two lines just speak to me of encouragement and the importance of being an encourager to those around you. Faith and hope are also often inextricably linked as we read through scripture. The author if Hebrews even uses one as part of the definition of the other, "Now, faith is confidence in what we hope for..." (Hebrews 11:1 NIV). When we lose our hope, we've lost our faith and vice versa.
How often do you get discouraged and start to question things? How often do those doubts start to creep in? "I'm never going to be able to do this" or "This situation is never going to work out properly". We get discouraged. We lose our hope. We lose faith that some situation will work out the way we would like or the way we feel it should. These are the times that we really need someone to come alongside and sow faith and hope back into our thoughts and our lives.
Think back to a time (you may not have to look to far back) when someone noticed you were struggling and just came alongside with an encouraging word. It probably wasn't deeply theological. It might have been as simple as, "I'm here for you" or "Hey, you've got this!" It's like we can borrow someone else's faith when our own is running dry.
So, I think part of our mission then, should be to keep our eyes out for those who may need an encouraging word - and then be quick to share one! I bet we would be amazed it we knew the number of people we come into contact with each day who are in desperate need of some hope. The power of a few faith-filled, hope-inspiring words could be enormous to their day and possibly their future.
One more quick thought about this. Sometimes, we may become aware of someone that could use some encouraging, but because we are ourselves in a place of discouragement or despair, we don't feel equipped to help. It would suggest, that this is an even better time to try to encourage them. Often, what can get our minds off of our own struggles is helping someone else with theirs. Something spiritual takes place that makes us have a better outlook on our own situation. As it says in Proverbs, "The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed;those who help others are helped." (Proverbs 11:25, MSG)
The song below, Brother, was the theme of our Church's Men's Retreat several months ago. It speaks of the importance of having someone walk alongside you to provide hope and encouragement. Let it encourage you, today...
where there is doubt, (sow) faith;
where there is despair, hope;
These two lines just speak to me of encouragement and the importance of being an encourager to those around you. Faith and hope are also often inextricably linked as we read through scripture. The author if Hebrews even uses one as part of the definition of the other, "Now, faith is confidence in what we hope for..." (Hebrews 11:1 NIV). When we lose our hope, we've lost our faith and vice versa.
How often do you get discouraged and start to question things? How often do those doubts start to creep in? "I'm never going to be able to do this" or "This situation is never going to work out properly". We get discouraged. We lose our hope. We lose faith that some situation will work out the way we would like or the way we feel it should. These are the times that we really need someone to come alongside and sow faith and hope back into our thoughts and our lives.
Think back to a time (you may not have to look to far back) when someone noticed you were struggling and just came alongside with an encouraging word. It probably wasn't deeply theological. It might have been as simple as, "I'm here for you" or "Hey, you've got this!" It's like we can borrow someone else's faith when our own is running dry.
So, I think part of our mission then, should be to keep our eyes out for those who may need an encouraging word - and then be quick to share one! I bet we would be amazed it we knew the number of people we come into contact with each day who are in desperate need of some hope. The power of a few faith-filled, hope-inspiring words could be enormous to their day and possibly their future.
One more quick thought about this. Sometimes, we may become aware of someone that could use some encouraging, but because we are ourselves in a place of discouragement or despair, we don't feel equipped to help. It would suggest, that this is an even better time to try to encourage them. Often, what can get our minds off of our own struggles is helping someone else with theirs. Something spiritual takes place that makes us have a better outlook on our own situation. As it says in Proverbs, "The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed;those who help others are helped." (Proverbs 11:25, MSG)
The song below, Brother, was the theme of our Church's Men's Retreat several months ago. It speaks of the importance of having someone walk alongside you to provide hope and encouragement. Let it encourage you, today...
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