During a difficult time, a friend stopped by. She did not bring cookies or flowers. She brought the gift of herself, plopped on my couch and conversed a little. I do not remember the words she said, but when she left, my spirit was strengthened.
When David was hiding in the woods from King Saul, Jonathan went to find him. 1 Samuel 23:16 says, “[Jonathan] strengthened [David’s] hand in God.” How could he do this? Was it Jonathan’s words or was it his presence? The encounter between Jonathan and David provides a few ideas on how to strengthen the hands of others.
No one is above the need for encouragement. David had a strong faith, but he still needed Jonathan. Jonathan could have mistakenly concluded that the soon-to-be king would not need encouragement. The strongest saints and leaders need Christian comrades to strengthen their hands in God.
Jonathan made a conscious effort to go to David. A friend sent me a text that said, “I just wanted you to know that I’m remembering you in prayer today.” That took effort on her part, and I doubt she fully realized the profound impact that text had. Sometimes, we need to take a moment to reach out and be intentional with our encouragement. Other times, God may use us to uplift others without us even being aware of it.
The strength we give comes from God and not ourselves. It is the ministry of the Holy Spirt working in and through us. Isn’t it exciting to find out that God used you to make a difference in someone’s day? It is hard to explain exactly what happens, other than God uses Christian women to minister to others.
While they conversed, Jonathan reminded David of the promises of God. He said, “Fear not… you shall be king…” Simple life-giving words reinforced what David already knew. God can use our awkward tongues to bring strength to the weary and hope to the hopeless.
Giving encouragement does not always come naturally, but God can give you a heart that loves others and creativity to know how to show it. Skip the platitudes. Mind the Holy Spirt. Be prepared to say words that are not in your normal vocabulary. And you will be a blessing.
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Give someone the gift of your time and presence, reinforcing the bonds of friendship and love that God calls us to share. In doing so, you’re not just offering encouragement; you’re embodying the very essence of kindness that can strengthen another’s hand in God.