Last week we got back from our trip to Oklahoma. We drove about 800 miles in one day and our boys did great. At one point, I watched Nate (my 5 year old) just sit there in the van, staring out the window. For about an hour and a half, he just watched the scenery. (Oh, and we were in Kansas, by the way, so the scenery was well…. you get the picture.) That said, I was amazed at how well my boys handled the long car ride.
When we got home however, all their pent-up energy exploded and there were numerous fights, complaining, arguing, and any other related event. I found myself struggling with a bad attitude as my home erupted in general chaos and noise. And in the midst of that, a friend of mine called me to see how I was doing. In just that one phone call, my spirits were lifted.
The scripture tells us to “encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11. I looked up the word encourage in my Webster’s dictionary. It means “to inspire with hope; to stimulate; to give help.” Sometimes life gets tough, mundane, or just plain overwhelming. At times like this we need people in our lives who encourage us. The phone call from my friend offered me just what I needed. Let’s all learn to be encouragers. Let’s listen to the Holy Spirit and respond to His prompting to call someone, help someone one, and offer hope. Find someone to encourage today.