Courage Follows Encouragement

So I had a friend tell me today that she thinks I have the gift of encouragement. Perhaps she is right. However, if she is (which is where I now lean) then it means that most people know me as an encourager. Thus, if I'm encouraging by nature, it would clearly explain why I turn into such a repulsive jerk when depression begins to take over. I think back to what was going on in the beginning of March that led to my breakup, and it totally makes perfect sense why she would have wanted out of the relationship: I was undoing all my previous encouragement groundwork...

So, there's three observations that follow. The first is theological, the second is practical, and the third is personal.

First, spiritual gifts aren't necessarily known by the person that possesses them. It could very well require another person to point them out. I wasn't trying to be encouraging earlier; I was just having a texting conversation; the Spirit used my words to encourage. Until today I'd never even considered encouragement as one of my spiritual gifts, but after reflecting on it a bit, it makes perfect sense.

Second, those with the gift of encouragement encourage others, but aren't necessarily very good at encouraging themselves. They have a heart to see others joyful in God and faithful in their walks, and as such pour themselves out for others, and let themselves get drained. Until someone else comes along and pours into them, they will eventually hit an "encouraging others" wall and not be able to do what they were called to do, which could in turn lead to depression.

Third, since I have now connected my depression to an absence of my encouraging others, I need to fight the urge to dwell on depression (even if no one else is encouraging me), because an encourager can do more damage than others when they stop using their gift. Satan can quickly turn an encourager into a discourager. I don't want to be a tool in his hand.

Pray for an encourager today!

Soli Deo Gloria