December 31, 2012
Brother,
I hope and pray all is well with you and your family.
“But encourage one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”- Hebrews 3:13
The Christmas holidays are such a special time of the year. The anticipation, excitement, traditions, spiritual aspects, and activities powerfully impact children of all ages and become wonderfully etched in our minds for the rest of our lives. But, unfortunately, for many, the Christmas season is also the most painful and lonely time of year. People are recovering from stresses in many areas, like the lack of enough money for gifts, fear of the credit card bills to come, disappointment from not getting the gifts we expected or hoped for, weariness from travels and rushing around, extra weight or a cold from a month of poor health habits. Some had conflicts with spouse or family over where to ‘celebrate’ or other traditions and activities that needed altering to fit the hustle and bustle of the season.
Even worse is being estranged from someone we love – for trivial or serious reasons, or missing a loved one who will be absent from the celebration due to death, divorce, addiction, suicide, or incarceration. You see, addictions develop as coping mechanisms to ‘help’ us deal with stress. So in this season with the most stress, many fall prey to their addictions for coping. Whether alcohol, drugs, pornography, food, gambling, shopping, anger, guilt, self-pity, TV, sports, our kids, details, we all have our addiction object that get us through, but for some, this relapse is the start of a very destructive spiral.
So many factors have the potential to bring us down. These struggles are amplified just after Christmas, when Christmas expectations go unmet and the foreboding empty days of winter lie ahead. Many people really suffer during this next 3-month stretch.
But we all can be the light in so many ways.. This is the time of year when we can make an impact (more powerful than we could ever imagine) by taking the time to encourage those who are struggling. In the Hebrews passage below, the word “encourage” comes from the Greek word “parakletos,” which means “called alongside to help.” Encouragement can be offering an uplifting word, but it can also be so much more than that, such as an opportunity to come alongside and help in a more powerful way.
Showing someone they have value and dignity, offering respect by taking action doing something for them has an amazing influence on others’ thoughts and feelings. We need to show them they matter to us and to God by putting aside our needs in favor of theirs. The idea of being created in God’s image and having value, so much so that God sacrificed His Son for them, needs to be brought physically to them. We are the vehicle God will use to get them this life-saving, actually, life-transforming message.
Today, we need to think of someone who needs us to come “alongside” them to help: it could be our spouse, parent, child, neighbor, work colleague, or friend, or maybe someone we will meet today for the first time. When we stand alongside and offer help, we become a powerful vessel through which God channels courage, hope and happiness. We all have the Holy Spirit within us, and we will bring Him directly to them. What better gift do we have to give than this? God will bring people to us. Being alert and “stepping up to the plate” is always our decision, today, tomorrow and always.
Let us all seek His wills for those caught in life’s storms. We actually can save lives on a daily basis – are you ready? I hope and pray you respond with YES!
Let us pray, Dear Father God, we thank You, Father, for sending Jesus to encourage us. We thank You for Your Holy Word that offers encouragement each time we open the Bible. We thank You for making it possible for us to encourage others. We pray, Lord, that You help us become courageous and to be a faithful servant who encourages others. We pray in the name of the one You sent to encourage us, Jesus Christ. We appreciate the gifts you have given us. In Your Holy and Precious Name we pray – AMEN.
Have a great, safe and VERY BLESSED New Years and week.
Please also remember that I am here for you – 24x7 in thought, prayer and action.
STAY STRONG!
Love-Your Brother in Christ,
Michael
(484)431-9336 (Home & Cell)
(484)595-9744 (Work)
