Be Encouraged!

Have you ever been in a situation when you have felt… enough is enough.  You find yourself in a season when nothing seems to be going right,  work, relationships, finances, and your dog just peed on the carpet.  I mean, really???

On such a day or season I have found this passage of Scripture to be helpful.  Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:58:

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm.  Let nothing move you.  Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain. 

Paul encourages us to apply three concrete steps to difficult situations so that we can come out victoriously.

During difficult situations:

Stand firm. Paul encourages us to be steadfast and firm in our relationship with God and our faith walk with Jesus. The second thing,

Let nothing move you.  Paul is encouraging us to stay focused, faithful and prayerful to God, and the assignment to which we are called.

Life happens to all of us but Paul is saying let none of those things move you away from your relationship with God.

Give yourself fully to the work of the Lord.

And here is where it gets tough, in the middle of a difficult situation the last thing we want to do is continue to serve. Wouldn’t we rather go back to bed and crawl under the covers? “Serve? At a time like this, Lord?”

Paul is saying…Yes! We need to continue on being and doing what God has called us to do, even in difficult seasons.

Now you may ask, WHY?  Well, Paul says because you know your labour in the Lord is not in vain.  In good times it is easy to trust God, but in bad times it is easy to lose faith in God.  God knows what you are going through and where you are in life.

In tough times, stay faithful and focus on what God is doing with you and not what life is doing to you.

Stay steadfast.  Let nothing move you away from your assignment because you know your labour in the Lord is not in vain.

Be encouraged!

Little things, big results!

I seem to be a little late to the game, given that we are now in February, but this week I picked up a new journal. It’s so exciting! There is something about all those blank pages waiting to be filled. Such possibilities! Not unlike a new year.

I know for many a new year represents the possibility of doing something different, or even awesome. Perhaps it is setting a goal to lose weight, kick a bad habit, read the bible cover to cover, get into shape, or run a marathon!

I like to set big goals, but what I have discovered about myself is that small goals coupled with faithfulness and discipline produce the biggest results.

Being faithful in the little areas can have wonderful long term results. I think we can all agree that we’ve seen this to be true.

For example, the more consistently I read my Bible, the more I grow in my walk with God. Or the more consistently we eat properly and exercise the better we feel. We can be faithful in the little things!  What’s so awesome is that God honours faithfulness, even to little things.

Look at what Jesus said in Luke 16:10:

One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.

In Proverbs 13:4 it says:

The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.

Over and over scripture emphasizes the value of diligence and discipline.

God rewards our diligence, discipline, faithfulness and hard work. We may not see the results immediately, but over time we will.

Don’t be discouraged. Take the first little step. Be disciplined, not in your own strength but in the power of the Holy spirit and watch. As you are faithful in the little things, big things happen!

Everett

This week the world lost a great man.  He was my pastor, my mentor, my greatest supporter. Everett was my friend.

Everett was known in the Presbyterian world as a faithful, strong and compassionate pastor. He was a pastor who preached the Word of God, a pastor who was present and available to his congregants, and a pastor who would make a point of meeting colleagues for coffee.

Everett taught me what it means to be a pastor.

As a new minister, Everett came alongside to encourage and support me. He shared some raw and difficult times of ministry with me, teaching me the importance of leading from a posture of prayer. He also shared with me the joy and successes of ministry, and with his stories he would point to the faithfulness of God.

Everett taught me what it means to be a mentor.

Sometimes in life we are fortunate enough to have a person come alongside who is steady, faithful and true. A person who is not afraid to lovingly set you straight when you are veering off the path, and just as quickly ready to praise you when you’ve done well.

Everett taught me what it means to be a friend.   

Everett and I spoke on the phone regularly.  He would call to check in and I would do the same.  In the last few years, I would end our conversation by saying, “I love you, Ev.”  I am glad I did, because I know that he knew.

He would respond, “Love you too”.

Today as I mourn the loss of my friend, my mentor, my father figure, because he said it, I know it. It is healing. And I am blessed.

Last Sunday we talked about the words we speak, and the importance of saying something good if you think it. That message has become even more poignant for me today. Proverbs 16:24 says: Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Words are important. Don’t just think, ‘I love you’. Say it. Be a blessing.

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord my Rock and my Redeemer.  Psalms 19:14

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Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.  John 14:27