Lizzie and I are doing the Navigators’ Topical Memory System scripture memorisation thingy (check it out here) with a few friends, which involves learning two new verses each week. This week’s ones included Hebrews 10:25, which speaks of ‘encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the day approaching.’

Mark Twain said: “I can live for two months on a good compliment.” Well, a compliment or a word of encouragement certainly goes a long way, particularly during these challenging times.

So here’s an idea which isn’t too difficult to implement but which will bring a lot of joy to people in your life (and yourself): why not set out each day with a goal of encouraging x number of people? 3? You choose a realistic number. 

Everybody loves being encouraged!

When someone randomly comes to my mind, I try to make it a point of emailing/phoning/whatsapping them, and it’s uncanny how often it is bang on the money. “I so needed that.” “I was about to give up.” “Your message confirmed I’m on the right track.” It costs me little, but can bring them (and me) so much.

Whether that ‘random thought’ was a coincidence or a prompting by the Spirit of God – depending partly on your view of life – it doesn’t really matter. It’s a great habit to get into, and anyone can do it.

So, brothers and sisters, through these dark days, hang on in there! Keep the faith! Don’t give up!

Look around, and be distressed.

Look within, and be depressed.

Look to Jesus, and be at rest.

Let us indeed be ‘encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the day approaching.’

That last part gives me the excuse to share one of my favourite quotes, by Smith Wigglesworth:

“Live ready. If you have to get ready when the opportunity comes your way, you’ll be too late. Opportunity doesn’t wait, not even while you pray. You must not have to get ready, you must live ready at all times.

Be filled with the Spirit; that is, be soaked with the Spirit. Be so soaked that every thread in the fabric of your life will have received the requisite rule of the Spirit – then when you are misused and squeezed to the wall, all that will ooze out of you will be the nature of Christ.”

So take a minute to think…

…who can I encourage today…? Then grab the phone, knock on the door, get typing! And live ready!