Pressing Pause: 100 Quiet Moments for Moms to Meet with Jesus by Karen Ehman & Ruth Schwenk

Author:Karen Ehman & Ruth Schwenk [Ehman, Karen]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Zondervan
Published: 2016-03-28T16:00:00+00:00

The Gift of Encouragement

Ruth

God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus.

—2 CORINTHIANS 7:6 NLT

Six weeks after I gave birth to our youngest son, Noah, something didn’t feel right in my stomach. The uncomfortable sensation soon turned into pain. And then agony! Before I knew it, I was back in the hospital. This time it was not to give birth but to have my appendix taken out.

Lying in a hospital bed just six weeks after having my third child, I was overwhelmed, discouraged, exhausted, and physically depleted. We’ve all been there. Discouragement hits us for different reasons and at different times.

We get sick.

We feel like nobody sees or appreciates what we do.

We feel like we’re failing.

Busyness and stress sap us of energy and joy.

All of us know too well the feeling of discouragement. Everybody faces it. And especially during motherhood, it’s easy to feel the weight of the world. What lifted me up during that season of childbirth and surgery was the encouragement of others.

It came in the form of flowers. A friend stopping by. A simple gift. A beautiful, thoughtful note from my women’s Bible study group. The generosity of some students who cleaned our house. The remedy for my discouragement was the encouragement of others. It gave me just what I needed to get up and keep going.

Just as we need encouragement, so do the other moms in our life. They, too, are likely struggling. The apostle Paul said we serve the God who “encourages those who are discouraged.” And then he immediately told us that he was encouraged by the visit of his dear friend and partner in ministry, Titus.

One of the primary ways God encourages the discouraged is through His people. We are instruments He often uses to lift others up.

So who around you is struggling? Which moms in your neighborhood, school, church, or community need your encouragement? Maybe you can send a note, deliver a home-cooked meal, offer to watch her kids, or make a simple phone call. God wants to use you to encourage another mom today.

Father, thank You for refreshing my soul. Thank You for being the God of encouragement. I know that in Christ, and through Christ, You are my real joy. Help me have eyes to see those for whom I can be an instrument of love and support. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

When are you usually most susceptible to discouragement?

What are some ways you can overcome discouragement?

Whom can you encourage today?

[Your Response]

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