5 Ways to Encourage Yourself in the Lord

Do you sometimes find yourself discouraged?  Often there are specific circumstances that seem overwhelming, while at other times there might be no particular reason for your discouragement.

In I Samuel 30:6, we are told that David was "greatly distressed...but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God."

If you're feeling a bit discouraged today, try one of these ways to encourage yourself in the Lord.

1.  Listen to Christ-honoring music.  Find favorite hymns or other songs of praise, and listen to the words of the song as you work around the house or drive in your car.  Alternatively, you could find a message from a preacher you enjoy and play it.

2.  Go to the Psalms and find a passage on which you can meditate.  Psalm 27 and Psalm 91 are two of my favorites passages to read when I need encouragement.  It may even help to write or type out the words of a Psalm and post them where you can see them throughout the day.

3.  Write a thank-you note.  Think of someone who has positively impacted your life, either recently or in the past, then write and mail them a note that expresses your appreciation.

4.  Choose a specific time each hour to pray for your husband and your children.  For instance, I might choose twenty-seven minutes after the hour (9:27am, 10:27am) since our wedding anniversary is July 27.  Every hour at that time, take a minute to stop and pray for the needs of your immediate family members.

5.  Make a list of answered prayer in your life.  From the time you were saved up until the present, there are certainly a host of prayers that have been answered.  Write down physical needs that were met, but also remember the spiritual needs that have been fulfilled.  Read over the list; perhaps even share it with your children, if appropriate.

By setting our focus first on Christ and secondly on others, we will often find that we can encourage ourselves in the Lord.

Do you have other suggestions for ways that we can encourage ourselves in the Lord?

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