Pastor's Corner: A drop of encouragement

Encouragement is much like a stone skipped across the placid waters of a pond, broadcasting ripples from each point of impact. Even after the stone has gently settled into deeper waters the ripples continue to broaden across the glassy veneer, stirring more and more water than what actually came into contact with the stone. That is a picture of how one small act of encouragement can ripple far beyond the original point of contact.

Unfortunately, discouragement can have the same affect. It can be like a boulder dropped in directly. The impact can splash dramatically as it plunges straight for the depths. And even if we don't take a direct hit, the ripples of discouragement can still crash onto the shores of our lives in wave after wave.

In these days, our ponds are riddled not with pebbles, but boundless hailstones of discouragement. As if living in a broken world isn't discouraging enough, now we have the privilege of experiencing crushing news from around the globe right at our fingertips. Wars, wildfires, droughts and other natural disasters, the economy, politics, global warming - the daunting list streams on and on, brought to you courtesy of our generation's varied sources of media. We even have the convenience of packing a world's worth of woes in our own back pockets, accessible twenty-four hours a day!

As human beings, we were not designed to carry so much discouragement at such an unprecedented rate. Is there any wonder anxiety and depression has become a silent global epidemic? Left unchecked, discouragement can lead to all forms of fear, anxiety, depression, and despair. It cheats us out of our enthusiasm for life. And this is the world our children are growing up in.

You won't find encouragement on Maslow's hierarchy of human needs, but encouragement is essential to our quality of life. We have a basic need for someone or something to encourage us to keep pressing on in this disheartening world, to restore our hope, and to revitalize our enthusiasm for life.

How can we counter a culture that gorges itself on discouragement? First, plug into the source of all encouragement. Our all-powerful God wants to encourage us through His Word, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit who comforts us with truth. The truth that God is perfectly compassionate, generously gracious, trustworthy and faithful, just and good. God not only loves us all, God is love. He embodies love. It's His very nature to love. From cover to cover, the Bible overflows with God's great love and grace which He bestows upon each and every one of us.

His love for you pours out of Scripture to flood into your soul and wash away the impurities of discouragement. The Bible is God's love letter designed to lighten the heart and lift the spirits. The Good News of the Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ, gives the ultimate climax in this divine love story. That's His gift to you which can shine a light when the world grows too dark and offers hope when life threatens to overwhelm.

So whenever your pond is thrashed about by the world's endless storms, set aside your devices, turn off your screens, and immerse yourself into the calming waters of Scripture. And don't forget to toss a portion of the encouragement you receive into someone else's pond and let the ripple-effect become a wave of refreshment to people far beyond your reach.

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Theresa Danley, Commissioned Lay Pastor

Milk River Churches

First Presbyterian Church of Havre, Presbyterian Church of Chinook, Chinook United Methodist Church, Chinook American Lutheran Church.