Open Heart

Prov.11:²⁵ “…those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.”

How have you done on the challenge from yesterday? I am sure you have discovered that in truth, those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. In addition to yesterday’s challenge,I want to challenge you to ensure no day passes without you encouraging somebody. Make encouraging others a habit. Today, make sure you do not go to bed until you encourage somebody. I know for some of us this is a very difficult task so I will help you. Start with the obvious, just tell someone around you that he or she is looking good. Just say, I like your black shirt – just say it! And if you do not like the shirt, I insist that you like it! That is the whole point!

Do you know you can choose to like something? So, choose to like something about that person and use it as a tool to encourage the person. Pick up your phone now and set a daily reminder to encourage somebody and God will help you. Just say, I like your hair cut or the fact that you never have to worry about a haircut. The point is, just ensure you encourage someone. Make sure that you are encouraging different people. Do not just stick to encouraging only one person, the same person every day. If it is somebody else’s wife you are encouraging and encouraging, please calm down. Go and look for someone else to encourage. If you are truthful, you would admit that when someone encourages you, it is a natural response to hope that they would find something else to encourage you about, right? And you do not want to start what you do not intend to finish. So be generous with your encouragement. People gravitate towards where they get encouragement, that is just how it works.

Schedule leisure, practice encouragement and learn to bask in encouragement. A lot of us need to improve in this area, we need to learn to bask in encouragement. When you get encouraged, hang on to that encouragement. Stop deflecting! There are a lot of people that are struggling in this area and I had to say to them severally, stop deflecting. Someone is complimenting you for a job well done and your first response is, it is God o! Yes, I know it is God but just say thank you, I give the glory to God. Just receive it in Jesus Name. It so important because if you do not receive encouragement, you tend to receive discouragement. Discouragement is not good for you; it takes you down to a dangerous path. If you must receive one, please receive encouragement.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, make me a channel of Your streams, refreshing everyone and everything around me, in Jesus Name. Amen!