The Courage to Encourage

 

Something I read recently in a devotion struck me:

“When enthusiastic encouragement radiates out of you, it creates opportunities with others. When we’re negative, people shut down. When we’re encouraging, doors open and people listen. Make a difference today—radiate enthusiastic encouragement.”

Romans 8:6–7 reminds us of the same truth from a spiritual angle: letting our sinful nature control our minds leads to death, but letting the Spirit control our minds leads to life and peace. Our natural way of thinking is hostile toward God—it resists Him, distrusts Him, and pulls us away from His goodness.

So the question becomes: What thoughts are controlling your mind?

It matters—not only for your own life, but for the lives of those around you. Our thoughts create an atmosphere. They can inspire and encourage, or they can drain and discourage. When you look at others, do you see hope and potential? Or do you slip into criticism and judgment, quietly sucking the life out of the room?

We don’t often think of negative thought patterns as sinful, but Scripture does. They oppose God’s heart and His work in us.

The Israelites in the desert are a vivid example. They walked with God daily, yet they refused to anticipate His goodness. They mumbled, groaned, and complained. It was draining—on themselves, on Moses, and even on God. Their negativity kept them wandering for forty years. At times, God even gave them what they craved just to silence the complaining, but it didn’t produce gratitude. It only made them sick. Their downfall wasn’t lack of provision—it was craving something other than God to fill them.

But Caleb and Joshua were different. They factored God’s goodness into their story. If God said the Promised Land was theirs, then He would give it to them. They didn’t need to strive in their own strength. Their hopefulness shifted the atmosphere. Their faith inspired others to see differently.

But what about when faith doesn’t change the outcome?
My previous pastor believed for healing until the end, yet she still went home to the Lord. The same was true for my best friend. Their hope didn’t alter their circumstances.

But what was the alternative—to live miserable and unhopeful?
Even though their situations didn’t change, they changed the world around them. Their faith brought encouragement to others. Many came to know the Lord through their lives, especially near the end. And both of them went home with peace.

I saw the opposite dynamic when I volunteered at a suicide hotline. Many people didn’t last long in that work because of how draining constant negativity can be. Some callers were stuck in patterns of complaining and bitterness for years. One man yelled about something that happened twenty years earlier—unable to forgive, unable to move on, trapped in an emotional prison of his own making.

Even more damaging is when pain turns outward. Instead of wrestling with their own wounds, some people accuse everyone around them. They project negativity, blame, and hostility—sometimes, more frequently, onto a person they feel safest with. This can become abusive and deeply harmful.

Proverbs 4:14–15 warns us not to stay in environments like this. Accusations, negativity, and constant complaining can cause us to lose heart. Scripture doesn’t tell us to remain indefinitely, hoping things will change. It tells us to turn and go our way, fleeing the harm.

Most people fall somewhere in between. We all have moments of complaining and moments of trust. We all sometimes accuse and sometimes believe in God’s goodness. We try and then fall short and try again. 

The solution isn’t to try harder to say the right things. The solution is to grow our trust in the One who sustains us.  As we look to Him and cultivate depth in our relationship, we receive an endless supply of hope and joy. And from that place, we can create environments where people are energized and encouraged—rather than drained and demoralized.

When we catch ourselves complaining about the world around us—or slipping into negativity and criticism toward others—it’s a signal worth paying attention to. These moments reveal places where our spiritual depth is still growing. Instead of staying stuck in those patterns, we can let them become invitations to draw closer to God and cultivate a deeper relationship with Him.

Psalm 37:8-9 says, “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men prosper in their ways, when they carry out wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and abandon wrath; do not fret— it can only bring harm. For the evildoers will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.”

Lord,
I come before You, recognizing how easily my thoughts drift toward complaint, criticism, and discouragement. When negativity rises in me, remind me that it reveals places where my heart still needs Your transforming work. I don’t want to be shaped by my sinful nature, which leads to death. I want to be shaped by Your Spirit, who brings life and peace.

Teach us to anticipate Your goodness the way Caleb and Joshua did. Help us trust that You are present, active, and faithful in every situation. Guard us from becoming like the Israelites who wandered in circles because they refused to believe You. Instead, grow in us a hopeful, courageous spirit that sees possibilities because You are with us.

Let our faith create an atmosphere of encouragement for those around us. Make us someone who brings life, not someone who drains it.

Protect our hearts from environments or relationships that pull us away from You. Give us wisdom to walk away when negativity becomes destructive, and courage to stay soft-hearted rather than hardened.

Most of all, deepen our relationship with You.
Let Your Spirit fill our minds with truth, hope, and joy.
Let Your presence radiate through us as encouragement to others.
Make us people who opens doors, lifts burdens, and reflects Your heart.

We cannot do this on our own.
But with You, we can become someone who carries peace into every room and hope into every situation.  Make us carriers of Your peace and joy to the world.

Amen.