An incredible thing about words is that they have the power to make us, just as much as they can break us. Another incredible thing is that they live on. Once spoken, words never go away.
So, apart from thinking before we speak, that makes it necessary to recognise and appreciate the power of encouragement. And unless you’ve been at a point where you desperately needed encouragement, or just really needed someone to say, “It will be okay”, you may underestimate it.
Encouragement is often earmarked for people in difficult situations or on the verge of giving up. But, why wait for someone to fall apart? Encouragement is for everyone, every day. If we are encouraged through the way, chances are, we won’t run out of hope and won’t consider giving up.
Often, we ration words of encouragement as if we’re running short, serving it out from our very last portion of it. We hold back words that could turn someone’s frown into a smile. However, I’m certain that if we rightly measure the influence that our words have on people, we would never hold back a positive word. Honestly, it’s a superpower that each one of us have!
Our words can bring someone's dream to life or they can crush it. Words of encouragement push us to take the next step forward when we barely have the strength to get out of bed. And if we possess that kind of power, we must also accept responsibility for the times we don’t use it.
The Bible says, “So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you’ll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you’re already doing this; just keep on doing it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
Don’t believe the lie that claims that only one of us can succeed. That is far from the truth! Adding a star to someone else’s crown isn’t going to take one off yours. It may, in fact, add another. Truth is, if we can’t be happy for each other, there is very little we will have to be happy about. When we support each other, incredible things happen. We rise by lifting others.
Today, I encourage you to throw encouragement around like confetti. Take the time to sprinkle encouraging words on lives around you. You never know how your words can awaken someone’s confidence along the way.
“Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.”
(Proverbs 18:21)
Photo Credit: Rich Mason via Flickr cc
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