The Secret to Living Encouraged
A while ago Joel was on a book tour in another state, and after we had finished an interview with a journalist, we got in our car. Joel sat there for a second and then he said, “You know what, I did a good job on that interview. I did everything I knew to do. I said what I knew to say. And I feel good about what I did today. I did the very best I could.”
We had a friend with us at the time, and a little later he said to Joel, “You know, when you affirmed yourself after that important interview, it reminded me of how negative I am toward myself. If I had just come out of that interview, I typically would have been full of doubt and thinking I didn’t say anything right. When you had the boldness and courage to affirm yourself, it was very freeing for me. It made me realize that I can affirm myself.”
Joel is an amazing encourager. He’s encouraged people all over the world. And I believe one of the greatest secrets to his encouragement is that he knows how to encourage himself. He practices finding the best in himself. When you’re full of good things, you see others through that lens of good things. You’re able to see the best in others, to affirm and encourage other people. If you have a full tank of encouragement, you can give encouragement and love to others.
Too often all we see in ourselves is what we’re doing wrong, all the times we blew it. We need to start seeing and applauding the good things in ourselves. When we applaud ourselves, we’re not being boastful, egotistical and prideful. We’re building confidence and faith in ourselves. We recognize that we are made in the image of Almighty God. He made you, He formed you, He fashioned you just the way you should be. Rather than being critical of yourself and what you think are lacks, start celebrating yourself and all your good qualities. Don’t go around looking at all the times you blew it; rather, applaud yourself for all the things you’ve done well. Recognize that you are in the process of becoming the person God wants you to be.
Affirm yourself today. Watch your negative thoughts and negative talk. Keep declaring who God says you are and reflecting the image of Almighty God, and you’ll be able to go out and be an encourager everywhere you go.
We had a friend with us at the time, and a little later he said to Joel, “You know, when you affirmed yourself after that important interview, it reminded me of how negative I am toward myself. If I had just come out of that interview, I typically would have been full of doubt and thinking I didn’t say anything right. When you had the boldness and courage to affirm yourself, it was very freeing for me. It made me realize that I can affirm myself.”
Joel is an amazing encourager. He’s encouraged people all over the world. And I believe one of the greatest secrets to his encouragement is that he knows how to encourage himself. He practices finding the best in himself. When you’re full of good things, you see others through that lens of good things. You’re able to see the best in others, to affirm and encourage other people. If you have a full tank of encouragement, you can give encouragement and love to others.
Too often all we see in ourselves is what we’re doing wrong, all the times we blew it. We need to start seeing and applauding the good things in ourselves. When we applaud ourselves, we’re not being boastful, egotistical and prideful. We’re building confidence and faith in ourselves. We recognize that we are made in the image of Almighty God. He made you, He formed you, He fashioned you just the way you should be. Rather than being critical of yourself and what you think are lacks, start celebrating yourself and all your good qualities. Don’t go around looking at all the times you blew it; rather, applaud yourself for all the things you’ve done well. Recognize that you are in the process of becoming the person God wants you to be.
Affirm yourself today. Watch your negative thoughts and negative talk. Keep declaring who God says you are and reflecting the image of Almighty God, and you’ll be able to go out and be an encourager everywhere you go.