Wow.
This picture I saw on Pinterest today and it made me sad.
It made me think this is what is wrong with people. This is why people are depressed, sad....suicidal....etc etc. So many people are needing the words from others and aren't receiving them. So many people are so focused on themselves that they don't reach out to others.
We (society) have become selfish and have such a lack of concern of caring for others. This problem is why Joel probably said this. He probably meant it to help others to not wait on others to build themselves up but to do it themselves.
I disagree with this quote or message.
This is not a bash on Joel post. This post is " I disagree with this quote " post.
I do believe encouragement does come from the inside. However, from Him not from you. It comes from knowing the Love of God. It comes from the peace of knowing who made you and who is with you. Knowing who will never leave you. Knowing who does celebrate you and encourage you and compliments you. All of this does not come from you.
It comes from him (God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit) who is speaking to you. It comes from knowing your identity is in him and not others. However, we also need words from others. Our hearts are at war and we need to surround others and fight with them!
The bible says: Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
1 Thess. 5:11
Just as we are doing. Hmmm- sounds like we were given a call of action. We are to keep encouraging and keep building others up...it doesn't say to stop. It doesn't sound like he said stop encouraging others and just encourage yourself.
We are told to encourage one another because honestly we need it. We need to be encouraged or celebrated or complimented. It does something to our hearts and for their hearts.
Words are powerful.
As a good wise woman said one day, "When I see someone and a thought pops in my head I go and share that thought. You never know why they needed to hear that." She tells random stranger I like those shoes. She tells them I love your laugh. She tells them thank you and looks them in the eyes. She tells them good things. She says it blesses them and blesses her to see them just light up.
So today stop encouraging just yourself or celebrating yourself or complimenting yourself and start building others up. Start looking at others and encouraging them.
Serve others with words.
Encourage others when you need encouragement.
Celebrate others when you need to be celebrated.
Compliment others when you need compliments.
Get out of your head and off your own needs and go help others.
❤️KGB