Others need to hear from us the same words that we need to hear. What we need to re - hear every day are the words that God says to us: "You're a good person. Don't let others destroy you. You're capable of doing this, you can handle this set-back or this temptation, you can recover from this failure or sin. God will help you, and so will I." And, most of all, "I love you and God loves you." When we hear those kinds of words from God, we feel ready to run the longest race, carry the heaviest burden, even turn our lives around.
But, some days, it's so hard to encourage others. We've fallen into a pit of depression, of worry or anxiety. Maybe we're overcome with guilt over something we did or didn't do. How can we find the spiritual energy to encourage a son, a daughter, a spouse, a friend? The best way is to turn to God and see how God encourages us - daily and faithfully.
The best portrait Jesus gives us of God is that of the Father who welcomes home his wandering, wayward son.
The prodigal son receives his inheritance early, leaves town in a hurry and spends everything he's received on a life of dissipation - probably wine and women. Penniless, when a famine strikes the country where he now lives, he hires himself out to a local citizen to care for his pigs, and ends up starving in a pig sty. He resolves to go home, face his father, confess his guilt, and take whatever punishment his father wants to give him - because this is the only way he can get food and not starve to death.
But - and this is the amazing part - Jesus tells us "While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him." His father hears his words of penitence, gives him the finest robe, a ring for his finger, sandals for his feet, and orders a huge feast for the son who was lost but now has been found.
The father had never stopped looking for his son. His face had never been turned away - that was why he was able to catch sight of his son long before his son had caught sight of him. No matter what we do, or think we do, God never stops shining the Light of His face on us. We may be too depressed, anxious, angry, or guilty to see His Face, but God's Face is always turned lovingly to us to encourage us, even when we spiritually leave home for awhile, or neglect to pray and listen to God. We trust Jesus, and take his word for this - because Jesus and his Father are one. No one knows our Heavenly Father better than Jesus does.
Our Father's Love is the best encouragement we could ever receive. Our loving, Heavenly Father is continually saying to us, "You are a good person. Don't let others destroy you or throw you into self-hatred or despair. I know that you sometimes fail, or sin, but I forgive you and I trust that you can do even better in the future. I love you. I will pour my My courage and strength over you daily. " When our lives are filled with tragedy, God says to us, "If you love Me - and I know that you do - I will bring all things to the good for you - because I love you. I turned tragedy to triumph with my cross and resurrection, and I will do the same for you. I always respect your free will. I allow you to experience the consequences of your failures and sins - that's accountability - but I never leave you. My Hand will always guide you on home - if you let me."
When we don't feel strong enough to encourage others, yet we know we have to for their sake, we need to ask God our Father to fill us with the same steady love and encouragement to give to others that our Heavenly Father gives to us. We need to ask God to put His words of encouragement into our mouths to say to others. If we allow God's love and encouragement to shine from us for others, we prepare them to love themselves better, to trust in God and themselves better, and to have courage and strength, through God, to face the tragedies and challenges in their lives.
St. Paul had many hard times in his life - shipwrecks, beatings, facing active personal hostility, for example. How many times was he exhausted and in pain, even depressed, and tempted, and yet he had to keep on going, and be there, present, for others? How did he do it? He tells us, "God said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.' I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.....For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12)
If we ask God to be part of our lives, and we do everything and endure everything for His sake, then His strength, His Power will always fill us to overflowing. In fact, we will marvel at the ability we have to be there for others, to encourage others, even when inside we feel dry and weak, even depressed. We realize with new humility that God is accomplishing good things in us and through us. When we are weak, we can be strong in Him. When we are weak, we can still encourage others with the encouragement we have received from God our Father, Jesus His Son, and the Holy Spirit.