Connections that Count |March 08, 2021

Read 

1 Thessalonians 5:11: New Living Translation
So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

Philippians 4:8b: New Living Translation
Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.

Reflect

What is good, and lovely, and deserving of praise in those closest to you? Have you told them these things recently, or have you just taken it for granted that they know? If you feel 90% positive about a person and 10% “needs improvement”, does your talk about or to him/her reflect this balance, or do you tend to skip over the positives? How might you go about expressing the 90%?

Apply 

Say a prayer right now and ask the Lord who he would like you to encourage today. Then DO IT! Send a text or an email, make a phone call, stop for a moment by your co-worker’s desk or your spouse working in the kitchen or on the taxes. Think of a specific positive about that person or something he/she has done and how/why that is meaningful to you/others. This doesn’t have to be long—just heartfelt and specific.

And tomorrow, simply REPEAT!

Pray

Dear God, thank you for the gift of the church—that we are not left as isolated individuals to sink or swim on our own, but that we have our brothers and sisters to encourage us along the way. Use each one of us this week to be an encourager to those around us—to have eyes to see the beauty, and to take the time to celebrate it. In Jesus’ name. Amen.