Encouragement 101… Letters of Love!
2 Corinthians 3:2-3 You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
This week the Holy Spirit has been bringing to my mind “Encouragement 101” which is where He started with me. This Sshh blog… (Side by Side Hand in Hand)… is the fruit of His training and my heart’s desire to learn to minister to myself and my fellow siblings.
He started by making me aware of the need for counseling, or as I call it, coming along side when someone is in the mud and heading towards a pit of quicksand. I had a friend (hopefully “Dancing Eyes” still considers me a friend) whom I strongly encouraged to see my pastor because she was considering jumping into THAT pit without knowing it was quicksand. As it turned out, one visit was enough for her (she refused to go back because she didn’t want to hear his words – and besides HE made her cry!), so I sat in his counseling chair with the hope that I could tug her back from the edge. She still made the decision to JUMP IN with both feet. As for me, I continued the pastoral mentoring, God provided, but I have often thought of all the would’ve/could’ve/should’ve words IF ONLY.
IF ONLY…
As I sat down this morning to write this blog, I fully intended to write a history of what I have learned over the years in pursuing the gift of Encouragement… thus “Encouragement 101”.
I fully intended to begin with steps 1-2-3. Then move on to the motives of A-B-C. And of course, ALWAYS encouraging the use of the simple tools of Do-Re-Me.
Until today, Sshh has been about friend to friend counseling (careful it can turn into friendly fire!).
Until today it has been about helping people know the truth (my truth or God’s truth?) and be set free.
Until today, Sshh has been more about doing than being!
Today the Holy Spirit showed me the position of TRUE ENCOURAGER. He showed me His training plan. No matter how long, nor how many repeat lessons, nor the number of bumps and bruises received from wrestling matches with Him and the mentors He sends, today He opened my eyes!
Today He said, “You are My letter, written in your hearts, known and read by all men!”A letter that makes us imitators of God, as beloved children; A letter that walks in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. (Ephesians 5:1-2)
A Letter of Love!
NOT a letter of laws and rules which, of course, are meant for our good and not for our discouragement, but a letter of LOVE! A letter so rooted and grounded in love and are able to comprehend what is the breadth and length and height and depth the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge (Ephesians 3:17-19)…
A letter about Christ’s love which surpasses knowledge and becomes, in Him, an ABUNDANT LIFE, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.
Through the years, I have often taken tests, put together by those far more knowledgeable than me, which “show” the spiritual gifts (But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 1 Corinthians 12:7) I may have been given. More times than not these tests have revealed the gift of encouragement.
Today the Holy Spirit put a bigger bow on this awesome gift… the gift of LOVE.
Some would have us believe that the spiritual GIFTS given, become so much a part of you that you eventually can/will use it at your discretion. In fact, some would even declare you will NOT be able to NOT use it. Like a magic wand, you will simply point and shoot and everything will be as it SHOULD be (some would also remind us that, should it not turn out as it SHOULD BE, it always depends on the faith of the receiver, not on the shooter).
Today, the Holy Spirit showed me He had no intention of making me us a Point and Shooter! He’s making us His letter.
No longer are we to pursue the quick fix to life’s/world’s problems. We are to pursue love. Not our brand or definition of love, but Christ’s love.
At the end of the day, when I assess my pursuit and lay myself on God’s altar, the question that will be asked and answered… “What will be known and read by all men from the letter you presented to them today?”
Hopefully it won’t be the only letter of me they will open and read. Hopefully I will get more than one chance, for the pursuit of being gifted in love, is a journey not a destination. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then we will know fully just as we also have been fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)
Encouragement 101… Sshh… is about continuing to look in the mirror even though our view is dimmed and clouded by this side of heaven, pursuing His brand of love. His definition of love.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love NEVER fails!
Side by Side Hand in Hand encouragers… my fellow Jesus Freaks… let us pursue the gift of love and become God’s letter of love.
**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.