Stay Encouraged & Equipped_2

You Can Do This!

Growing up, I was fortunate to be around people who encouraged me to try to do things I didn’t think I could do. And it happened quite often. Why? Because I was a child and all of those “things” were new experiences. They were things I had not attempted before and I had a hard time trusting that I could do them because my fear was greater than my belief in myself. I was scared!

I remember learning to ride a bike and seeing my Dad running alongside me with a big smile on his face telling me how good I was doing and that, “I could do this”. And when I fell he would pick me up and say, “you’re doing great, let’s try it again”. And I did!  I remember my Mom telling me I could do, well… anything! And she continued reinforcing that until the day she died.  I remember my math teacher staying after school with me helping me learn how to do math problems and telling me how smart I was. I remember my football coach shouting at me not to quit…it was more like, “You better not quit on me Grube, YOU CAN’T QUIT!!!!” and to keep going when I thought I couldn’t go anymore. And not only do I remember how scared I was going through those moments but I also remember how proud I felt after I got on the other side of them. And, how much easier those things were from that point forward.

You see, all of those experiences were new at the time they occurred. New feelings, new challenges and new risks. But I never would have had any of those experiences without the encouragement I received from my Dad, Mom, teacher, coach etc. They already knew what I didn’t know. That I had the capacity to do everything they were encouraging me to do. 

Isn’t that the way it is in our spiritual life? We go through times when God brings us into new experiences that make us fearful and we have a hard time trusting whether we have the capacity to get through whatever it is? And it’s scary! But here’s the good news. He already knows what we don’t! And with him we have all the capacity we need to handle anything. So how does he do this? One way is by bringing someone into our life to be his ambassador, his representative, to let us know they believe in us and implore us to keep going and persevere. They run alongside us so we’re not alone and give us words of encouragement.  Another way is reading the Bible and the promises God has given us. Here are a few. 

Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

James 1:12 “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised those who love him.

Philippians 4:13 “I CAN do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength.”

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

2 Corinthians 5:20 “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.”

Whatever challenge, fear or experience you are going through today…God is right there running alongside you with a big smile on his face saying,
“trust me …you can do this”!

D. Grube