19/09/2023
19 Ways to Encourage Others
Encouragement goes straight to the heart.
In fact, the word itself comes from a combination of the prefix âenâ which means âto put intoâ and the Latin word âcorâ which means heart. Knowing what a big difference encouragement makes in your own life, what can you do to help others âto take heartâ when the going gets tough?
Become aware of what encourages you and do those same things for others.
Learn individualsâ âlove languageâ â the special way in which they feel most valued. In his book, The Five Languages of Love, Gary Chapman explains that not everyoneâs emotional needs are met in the same way and that itâs important to learn to speak othersâ love language.The five love languages are:
1. Words of affirmation,
2. Spending quality time,
3. Receiving gifts,
4. Acts of service
5. Physical touch.
If an encouraging thought comes to mind, share it! It may not have the same effect if you wait. Donât let shyness hold you back. Instead, form a new habit:
âEncourage one another daily, as long as it is called todayâŚâ (Hebrews 3:13).
When you introduce someone, add a few words of praise for the personâs abilities, accomplishments, about how theyâve helped you or about the nature of your relationship. Itâs encouraging to be praised in front of others.
When someone is discouraged or hurting, offer specific, practical help. If you ask, âHow can I help?â the person might be at a loss to answer. Itâs better to ask, âWould it help if IâŚ(specific action) or say, âI would like toâŚ(specific action)?
Remind fellow Christians of the specific promises of God and characteristics of God. We may know something with our mind, but need to be reminded in our heart. The Apostle Peter wrote,
âI will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now haveâ (2 Peter 1:12).
Write someone a note to tell them that youâre praying for them. Tell them what youâre praying. You can pray specific Scriptures for individuals such as Romans 15:13,
â[I pray that] the God of hope [will] fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.â
Make celebration a more regular part of your relationships. Celebrate othersâ victories, large and small, with a note, with coffee together, with a special meal, a congratulatory phone call or just a high five!
Be specific when you offer words of praise; it makes your encouragement more credible and concrete.
âYou did a great job atâŚ.â
âI really appreciate that youâŚ.â
âI was really impressed that youâŚ.â
Encourage other believers with a reminder of Christâs coming. It redirects our thinking to an eternal perspective and ultimate deliverance from the sin and death.
âWe who are still alive and are left will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these wordsâ (1 Thessalonians 5:17b-18).
Realize the power of presence. Just being there is encouraging! When youâre with others, youâre telling them that theyâre important. The Apostle Paul closed his letter to the church at Colosse promising to send his friend Tychius,
âthat he may encourage your heartsâ (Colossians 4:8b).
If youâre part of a church, Bible study or fellowship, be committed to showing up. Your simple presence encourages others that they are part of a community of faith and that they are not alone. Thatâs why the writer of Hebrews says,
âLet us not give up the habit of meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another and all the more as we see the Day approachingâ (Hebrews 10:25).
If someone you know is working on a large project, send her a single flower to encourage her at the beginning of the project, and a full bouquet when itâs done.
Use encouragement as an outreach. If anyone should be known for being an encourager, it should be the Christian. Write a letter of appreciation to people at work, your apartment manager, your childâs teacher or your doctor. Often when we interact with these people, we are asking for their services. Take time just to say thank you!
If you really want to encourage someone who gives you excellent service, write a letter of commendation to the personâs boss.
We could learn something from the way team athletes freely pat, touch and high-five each other in competition. Touch is a powerful encouragement. Be sure to be sensitive in this area, though. Ask someone if you can hug her first. And be careful to be above reproach with persons of the opposite s*x.
When you see someone making positive changes in their lives, affirm them.
âYou seem to have a really great attitude aboutâŚ.â
âIt may be that Iâm just starting to take notice, but I see that youâreâŚ.â
âDo you think that you are becoming moreâŚ?â
Tell people how theyâve encouraged you!
Walk daily in the power of the Holy Spirit, asking Him to give you what you need to encourage others. Just as it is impossible to live the Christian life in oneâs own strength, itâs also impossible to freely, unselfishly pour out encouragement without the help of the Holy Spirit who is our Encourager.
by Stacy W
We are filled with the Holy Spirit by faith alone. However, true prayer is one way of expressing your faith. The following is a suggested prayer:
âDear Father, I need You. I acknowledge that I have been directing my own life and that, as a result, I have sinned against You. I thank You that You have forgiven my sins through Christâs death on the cross for me. I now invite Christ to again take His place on the throne of my life. Fill me with the Holy Spirit as You commanded me to be filled, and as You promised in Your Word that You would do if I asked in faith. I now thank You for directing my life and for filling me with the Holy Spirit.â
If you prayed this prayer we would love to hear from you .