Originally shared on facebook, Nov. 14, 2015
Scripture memory verse challenge - week #10
Hebrews 3:13
Isn't it amazing how great it feels when someone encourages you? When I receive a compliment, it puts a smile on my face and I'm pretty sure it puts a smile on the other person's face. In one of my Dale Carnegie classes, they had us raise our hand if we were ever encouraged too much. No one raised their hand. Isn't that interesting? I kind of thought some people who were really good at something received all kinds of encouragement. I guess not entirely.
I want to be an encouraging person, but sometimes it is so hard to encourage, especially when something difficult happens. So I started thinking about the opposite of encourage; if people are not encouraging, what are they doing?
And then I realized probably the opposite of Dale Carnegie's principle #1 "Don't Criticize, Condemn or Complain". When we are not encouraging, unfortunately we can find ourselves easily criticizing or just not speaking kindly. Boy is that hard to do. I was talking to someone I work with not too long ago and she said she was trying to make it through the day without complaining. And I replied back, "I don't think I have ever made it through the day without at least one complaint." Boy, it sure is hard to admit my weaknesses. And what about being hardened by "sin's deceitfulness"? I've been certainly curious about that. How does not encouraging lead us to sin? That seems pretty steep. I wonder if we could spend more time encouraging others if we would indeed feel more fulfilled? It might be worth a try. Who's with me? Shall we try to encourage each other daily and see if it makes a difference? May you be blessed this week especially as you feel encouraged. And my encouragement to all you, when life gives you lemons, may you turn them in to the sweetest lemonade ever!
Thank you to every one of you who reads my posts or has made a comment to me about the scripture challenge. It means so much to me and encourages me to continue sharing some of my favorite verses.
Scripture memory verse challenge - week #10
Hebrews 3:13
Isn't it amazing how great it feels when someone encourages you? When I receive a compliment, it puts a smile on my face and I'm pretty sure it puts a smile on the other person's face. In one of my Dale Carnegie classes, they had us raise our hand if we were ever encouraged too much. No one raised their hand. Isn't that interesting? I kind of thought some people who were really good at something received all kinds of encouragement. I guess not entirely.
I want to be an encouraging person, but sometimes it is so hard to encourage, especially when something difficult happens. So I started thinking about the opposite of encourage; if people are not encouraging, what are they doing?
And then I realized probably the opposite of Dale Carnegie's principle #1 "Don't Criticize, Condemn or Complain". When we are not encouraging, unfortunately we can find ourselves easily criticizing or just not speaking kindly. Boy is that hard to do. I was talking to someone I work with not too long ago and she said she was trying to make it through the day without complaining. And I replied back, "I don't think I have ever made it through the day without at least one complaint." Boy, it sure is hard to admit my weaknesses. And what about being hardened by "sin's deceitfulness"? I've been certainly curious about that. How does not encouraging lead us to sin? That seems pretty steep. I wonder if we could spend more time encouraging others if we would indeed feel more fulfilled? It might be worth a try. Who's with me? Shall we try to encourage each other daily and see if it makes a difference? May you be blessed this week especially as you feel encouraged. And my encouragement to all you, when life gives you lemons, may you turn them in to the sweetest lemonade ever!
Thank you to every one of you who reads my posts or has made a comment to me about the scripture challenge. It means so much to me and encourages me to continue sharing some of my favorite verses.