Encouraging Yourself in the Lord

(I shared this message Wednesday, March 19, 2014 with my church).

Many times our strength goes blank.  Its like we lost everything we’ve ever had in the Lord and we are just flat.  In these times, we can be carried-along by the strength of another believer - a friend, a spouse, someone who carries for you deeply.  But at other times, there is no one available or God isolates you to learn how to “encourage yourself in the Lord.”  Perhaps no one is there.  Or the situation is too personal to share with anyone else.  And sometimes the wound is so deep it can only be healed alone by God.

How do you "encourage yourself in the Lord?"

In II Samuel 30, King David was truly alone.  No one was available to console or advice him.  With his own home burned and his family taken, he could have just given up.  Instead, he turned to the Lord for strength and found the encouragement he needed.

What do we do to strength ourselves?

1. Pray

That’s right - lift your voice and ask the Lord for His help.  Let the Lord know there is no one to help him, but I want to put my trust in you.  There is no such thing as a predicament too complex for God.  He knew ahead you would face this.  Acknowledge your inadequacy and seek His guidance and direction.

2.  Plan to be patient and wait on God.

We want everything now and especially when we are hurting.  “God’s delays are never meant to Deter you but to Detour you.”  - Keith Craft

We need time to consider God - our real situation - our reaction.

3.  Remember

Remember what God has done in the past for you.  Let these memories feed your faith that God has been faithful before and He has not changed.

Martin Luther in “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” praises the Father for being a faithful refuge and emphasizes the importance of depending on Him and waiting on God.  

Read back through your journal to be reminded of what God has done.  We forget and thus our spirit needs to be refreshed.

4.  Get in the Word

Read the Word and study.  Make time.  It may be hard mentally to study, but God knows that.

But many times as you read His Word, God will grant you direction or wisdom or just strength. 

When a person is sick, they don’t feel like eating but someone will come along to say, “But you have to eat to get stronger.”

5.  Sing

That's right, sing.  Lift up your voice and sing about the greatness of God, His faithfulness, His unchanging love.  A singing heart will become a merry heart.

6.  Serve someone in your pain

What you need, give away.  

7.  Stay connected with public worship.

Let someone else lead the song.  Let someone feed you the Word of God.