Encouraging Talk

"After they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and viewed the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land the Lord had given them." ~Moses

It surprises me how easy it is to fall into the clutches of discouragement. To succumb to emotions of fear and disappointment and sink into the mire of discontent is a constant threat to joy. I've noticed that when I start sliding down that path, there is only one way that I can stop the avalanche. That is to draw near to God and listen really carefully to what he has to teach me. I've also noticed that one way to continue down the path to total discouragement and paralysis is to seek out the opinions of others.

That's probably why God had to keep reminding Joshua to not be discouraged over and over again. He has to keep reminding me too. I have to be cautious not to blurt out things that are not encouraging to others though. I have to make sure that my attitude and words don't stand in the way of what God has planned for them. I want to be a light not a stumbling block.

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." ~Paul