While healing and miracles are easy to get excited about, encouragement may seem too ordinary to be considered a gift. But encouragement is type of healing for the heart, or a source of motivation for the mind or will to persevere even if what appears logical says to give up.
Encouragement Shares Hope Hope is at the foundation of the Christian faith (1 Corinthians 13:13). Because a relationship with Jesus is transformative, those things which are at the foundation of a relationship with Him are powerful avenues through which Jesus changes our lives. Bringing people hope changes everything. It is a powerful gift, even if it is one that works so quietly that many people who have a gift of encouragement might not realize it.
The spiritual or emotional benefits of encouragement can be the most important thing a person needs. Sometimes God gives hope instead of showing what the rest of His plan is yet.
Hope in a Person As Christians we must hope; but not in things, rather in a Person: our loving God.
Real, pure hope does appreciate things, but more that that, hope leads us to love the Person - God - who is worthy of our hope because He is entirely good, entirely wise, and entirely on our side. We can know this more deeply through a personal relationship with God, possible when we have hope through Jesus' Divine Mercy which He wants to give generously when we ask Him for it. The gift of encouragement communicates this hope to people, and with hope, we can be transformed.
Increasing in Hope Increasing in hope can be more necessary than receiving an answer to a prayer where we tell God what He should do, when He should do it, and how He should do it. Hope does not demand; it confidently awaits what is good because hope is convinced that God is alive and active in our lives. Hope reminds us that God sees the bigger picture better than we do since He is God and we are not. Hope helps us trust that God is in control, and hope helps us invite Him to be in control of our lives. Hoping for what God will do when we don't know what it is yet is part of being a Christian.
A gift of encouragement helps us help others to stay hopeful even when things don't look like they will improve. Encouragement helps us trust that God is with us, even when it seems He isn't even listening. Encouragement says, "believe without seeing." When God does answer, it is a hopeful attitude that helps us be ready to thank God. If we maintain hope even while waiting for God's blessings, we will not mumble under our breath an impatient and frustrated, "it's about time!"
With encouragement bringing us hope, we can see that nothing is pointless, but even difficulty has meaning. Encouragement helps us stay real by showing us that our understanding everything is not necessary, but what is necessary is to still have faith when the world tells us to quit.
Encouragement as a gift is more than just telling someone motivational ideas. That is just being optimistic. It is more than being a sounding board. That is just being a good listener. These are natural and good, but hope in Christ is more; it is supernatural. If everything is going well in someone's life but their mind is confused or heart discouraged, then restoring hope is urgent and encouragement is a powerful gift from God. The gift of encouragement gives deep and lasting hope to others. The gift of encouragement communicates a hope that anchors us in God more than anyone or anything else. Hope brings the real and universal answer: Jesus Christ, the one who saves.
An Example from a Saint of the Gift of Encouragement St. André Bessette was known in Montreal for healings, but the gift of encouragement was also at work in his ministry. One of his friends said, "I never brought a sick person to Brother Andre without that person returning home enriched. Some were cured. Others died some time later, but Brother Andre had consoled them."
In the life of St. André Bessette, the gift of encouragement helped people in a real and powerful way, even if they did not get healed physically. Their prayers were not a waste of time. When the heart is healed, that too is a gift, and one that will last longer than our bodies which will die one day. Until then, hope helps us be peaceful in suffering because faith in Christ gives us hope even our bodies will be forever restored in the glorified body that God will everyone in Heaven.
Encouragement Shares Hope Hope is at the foundation of the Christian faith (1 Corinthians 13:13). Because a relationship with Jesus is transformative, those things which are at the foundation of a relationship with Him are powerful avenues through which Jesus changes our lives. Bringing people hope changes everything. It is a powerful gift, even if it is one that works so quietly that many people who have a gift of encouragement might not realize it.
The spiritual or emotional benefits of encouragement can be the most important thing a person needs. Sometimes God gives hope instead of showing what the rest of His plan is yet.
Hope in a Person As Christians we must hope; but not in things, rather in a Person: our loving God.
Real, pure hope does appreciate things, but more that that, hope leads us to love the Person - God - who is worthy of our hope because He is entirely good, entirely wise, and entirely on our side. We can know this more deeply through a personal relationship with God, possible when we have hope through Jesus' Divine Mercy which He wants to give generously when we ask Him for it. The gift of encouragement communicates this hope to people, and with hope, we can be transformed.
Increasing in Hope Increasing in hope can be more necessary than receiving an answer to a prayer where we tell God what He should do, when He should do it, and how He should do it. Hope does not demand; it confidently awaits what is good because hope is convinced that God is alive and active in our lives. Hope reminds us that God sees the bigger picture better than we do since He is God and we are not. Hope helps us trust that God is in control, and hope helps us invite Him to be in control of our lives. Hoping for what God will do when we don't know what it is yet is part of being a Christian.
A gift of encouragement helps us help others to stay hopeful even when things don't look like they will improve. Encouragement helps us trust that God is with us, even when it seems He isn't even listening. Encouragement says, "believe without seeing." When God does answer, it is a hopeful attitude that helps us be ready to thank God. If we maintain hope even while waiting for God's blessings, we will not mumble under our breath an impatient and frustrated, "it's about time!"
With encouragement bringing us hope, we can see that nothing is pointless, but even difficulty has meaning. Encouragement helps us stay real by showing us that our understanding everything is not necessary, but what is necessary is to still have faith when the world tells us to quit.
Encouragement as a gift is more than just telling someone motivational ideas. That is just being optimistic. It is more than being a sounding board. That is just being a good listener. These are natural and good, but hope in Christ is more; it is supernatural. If everything is going well in someone's life but their mind is confused or heart discouraged, then restoring hope is urgent and encouragement is a powerful gift from God. The gift of encouragement gives deep and lasting hope to others. The gift of encouragement communicates a hope that anchors us in God more than anyone or anything else. Hope brings the real and universal answer: Jesus Christ, the one who saves.
An Example from a Saint of the Gift of Encouragement St. André Bessette was known in Montreal for healings, but the gift of encouragement was also at work in his ministry. One of his friends said, "I never brought a sick person to Brother Andre without that person returning home enriched. Some were cured. Others died some time later, but Brother Andre had consoled them."
In the life of St. André Bessette, the gift of encouragement helped people in a real and powerful way, even if they did not get healed physically. Their prayers were not a waste of time. When the heart is healed, that too is a gift, and one that will last longer than our bodies which will die one day. Until then, hope helps us be peaceful in suffering because faith in Christ gives us hope even our bodies will be forever restored in the glorified body that God will everyone in Heaven.
“It is with the smallest brushes that the artist paints the most exquisitely beautiful pictures.” |
"Thy wounds, as Thomas saw, I do not see; |