Thanking God for the Courage in your Encourager

Photo by Aarón Blanco Tejedor on Unsplash

They serve us by lifting us when we’re low, and they help affirm our calling when we’re curious. They are faithful companions on the journey of life: the encourager.

There is courage in the encourager. Look at the word: en-courage.

The encourager has courage in them
for putting courage in those they encourage.

The outcome of encouragement is courage fills us.
We may call it confidence or boldness. It’s still courage.

The encourager is an opportunist. They draw from within themselves the courage in them to encourage others. They see their opportunities and they take their opportunities.

Encouragers are risk takers. They would rather say something kind and right and get it wrong than miss the opportunity altogether. Encouragers don’t have to do what they do. They do so because they’re principled. They stand to feel rejected if the person they seek to encourage responds negatively. But for them the chance to do some soul-lifting is worth the risk. In any event, the light of Christ that burns brightly in them is too resplendent to repress.

Most encouragers are so adept at honouring what they feel so strongly about. If they see something in us worth us knowing, they don’t assume we know already.

They take the courage from within themselves, fashioning words, and they say them. Some encouragers are so courageous they’re prepared to sacrifice themselves in joining us on our journey. (But not in a co-dependent way! — in a faithful way of a mentoring sage.) They serve us in ways we know they’re there for us. All service of sacrifice requires courage. That’s a humble courage of committed faithfulness.

Thank God for the courage and confidence in them that builds courage and confidence in us.