God Thought 8/26/26
Upper Room Devotional
Encouraging the Encouragers
Scripture Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:8-15
Encourage one another and build each other up. - 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)
When I arrived at church, Joyce was already there. She had made coffee for Sunday school and had probably cleaned up the classroom, knowing her. Now she was walking around the sanctuary, greeting people with a constant smile on her face. I noticed that she made sure to speak with the elderly. She gave a hug to a woman in a wheelchair and to another woman with a walker. As church began, she slipped into the pew in front of me and turned to give me a hug and a smile.
After church, I asked her how she was doing. She hesitated a moment and then said, “Fine.” I asked again, “How are you really doing?” Dropping her smile, Joyce confessed that she was struggling. She felt lonely. She wondered if she really belonged in this church. Her words surprised me. She always seemed so upbeat. I had no idea she was hurting. I promised to pray for her and vowed silently to check on her regularly.
We all love the encouragers among us and appreciate the love they shower upon us. But do we consider that they also need encouragement? We can reach out not only to visitors and those who appear lonely but also to those who are so quick to reach out to us. They may need a listening ear and a sympathetic heart.
Prayer: Dear God, help us to remember those who have encouraged us, and show us ways to encourage them. Amen.
Encourage one another and build each other up. - 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)
When I arrived at church, Joyce was already there. She had made coffee for Sunday school and had probably cleaned up the classroom, knowing her. Now she was walking around the sanctuary, greeting people with a constant smile on her face. I noticed that she made sure to speak with the elderly. She gave a hug to a woman in a wheelchair and to another woman with a walker. As church began, she slipped into the pew in front of me and turned to give me a hug and a smile.
After church, I asked her how she was doing. She hesitated a moment and then said, “Fine.” I asked again, “How are you really doing?” Dropping her smile, Joyce confessed that she was struggling. She felt lonely. She wondered if she really belonged in this church. Her words surprised me. She always seemed so upbeat. I had no idea she was hurting. I promised to pray for her and vowed silently to check on her regularly.
We all love the encouragers among us and appreciate the love they shower upon us. But do we consider that they also need encouragement? We can reach out not only to visitors and those who appear lonely but also to those who are so quick to reach out to us. They may need a listening ear and a sympathetic heart.
Prayer: Dear God, help us to remember those who have encouraged us, and show us ways to encourage them. Amen.
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