Encouragement from Him

I'm at a youth retreat with my husband, daughters, and youth from our church.  As I was worshiping and praying last night, I was struck by how defeated I have felt lately.  My husband has also felt this way.   We spend so much time and effort doing and working and struggling.  We haven't received encouragement in a long time.

The beautiful sanctuary in the peaceful moments before the Youth came in.

Encouragement is one of those things that is so easy to give, and yet we don't do it.  As Christians, when we see others dealing with tough times, who are battle weary we don't always lift them up, by our words or actions or even in prayer.  Why do we not give them what they need?  And why do we we feel that, if the battle is prolonged, there must be something wrong with the person going through it?  Has our TV episode mentality in our culture really come to believe in 30 or 60 minute solutions?

Then, during prayer, I realized how often I skipped time with God in my own busyness.  I can't give away what I don't have. If I'm dry spiritually, I can't encourage others in the Lord.  As trials mount, my frustration does too.
 
Sometimes God blinds others from seeing us.  He wants us to turn to Him for encouragement.  He wants us to get our value from Him.  He wants us to experience dry times so that, when we see others in dry times, we will know how to lift them up.  He wants us to learn how to turn to Him, so that we can get from Him what others can't or won't give.

I was encouraged this weekend.  I wasn't encouraged necessarily because people lifted us up, though being with other devoted followers of Christ is uplifting.  I was encouraged because I spent time with Christ.  I spent time in His Word.  I spent time in Worship.  I spent time in Prayer.  These things encouraged me, edified me, and brought me peace.