Monday, May 1, 2017

Encourage Each Other

So encourage one another and build each other up, just as you are already doing. I Thessalonians 5:11

This verse packs a punch. Either you are convicted of not doing it, or you feel good that you do offer that support to one another.

I truly believe that encouraging and support that others give to someone who has an addiction is the equivalent of a life preserver. It can truly keep someone afloat during hard times.  It's why I build recoveryBox (the mobile addiction recovery app) to have that accountability piece.  If used correctly, your sponsor should be supporting you during the bad as well as the good.

But now let's extend this verse to other areas of our lives.

Do we encourage our children or just tell them they can do better?
Do we praise our coworkers when they get a promotion or do we stew in jealousy because we felt passed over?
Do we help out in need when we clearly see someone struggling or do we hope someone else will step up?
Do we eat that juicy burger in front of someone so desperately trying to lose weight?
Do we offer help to the mom in the grocery store when her child is melting down or do we think her parenting skills need improvement and then we walk away?

Obviously I could go on.  I just want you to note I am guilty of all of the above I mentioned which is why they came so easily for me to think of as examples.  My point is that even as good as I am in one area, there are other facets of my life that I need to extend this verse to.

So, today, when you see someone struggling with something, offer help.  Or if it's not appropriate in that situation, pray for them.  Sometimes that is what we are called to do instead.