When There's No Cheerleader

Sometimes we're waiting around for someone to show up and encourage us. But that person was there all along if you just look in the mirror. 1 Samuel 30:6 says "And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God."

There was a line drawn in the sand and King David was standing alone. At that moment he had to be his own encourager, his own cheerleader. In a dark time he turned to the only one who could truly help him, the Lord God Himself. David sought God and God answered him. He went on to victory after what could have been a literal life ending defeat.

When trouble comes, and it will, there is always a line in the sand moment. We can either give in and give up or look within and look up. As believers, the Holy Spirit is dwelling in us and He gives us power. (Acts 1:8) We also have the word of God. It is in us. It is there through scriptures we remember even when we can't remember the exact wording. It is there when we sing praise and worship songs because they are based on truths from the bible. We can put the word directly in in that moment by reading it. We also can call on the name of the Lord which has power. In Luke 10 the 70 came back to Jesus saying even demons had to come subject to His name and be cast out. There is power in the name of Jesus!

God has called us to encourage one another and bear one another's burdens. (Galatians 6:2) However there will be times when we need to do our own heavy lifting and strengthen ourselves in the Lord. And even when those times come, you are never truly alone because God has promised to never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5) In learning to encourage myself I can better encourage others.