Learn to encourage yourself!

David had just won a string of spectacular military victories. But he was heartsick when he returned from battle and found his home destroyed by the Amalekites and his family taken captive. He and his men fell to the ground and wept until they could weep no more. But he didn’t stay down. ‘David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?” And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all”’ (1 Samuel 30:8 NKJV). And David’s self-encouragement, coupled with God’s guidance, led him to his next victory. There’s a lesson here. You must learn how to talk to yourself the right way, how to quote God’s promises, and how to pray for yourself. And here’s a promise from the Psalms that you can stand on: ‘Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning’ (Psalm 30:5 KJV). Your joy will return. God has promised it! So look in the mirror today and declare, ‘This too shall pass. What doesn’t destroy me makes me stronger. In the meantime, I’ll let this situation drive me closer to You, Lord.’ Come on – start encouraging yourself! The biggest battles bring the biggest victories. Your weaknesses can become discovery points for strengths you never knew you had. Recalling the worst time in his life, Joseph said, ‘God turned into good what you meant for evil’ (Genesis 50:20 TLB). And He still does that! Other people don’t control your destiny, God does, and He’s not like others. He can turn your pain into gain and your scars into stars! Regroup, refocus, and resolve to press on. The word for today is: learn to encourage yourself.

Prayer Point

Lord, it can be hard to keep going when there’s nobody around to give me a word of encouragement. But I know that I can always turn to You for support and strength. You equip me to encourage myself because I have Your love. I don’t want to go through problems and trials, but I’ll choose to be thankful for them when they come because they give me even more reason to draw close to You.

Jakes, T.D., Maximize the Moment (New York: Berkley, 2001).