Words of Encouragement.
By Angelia J. Edmonds
How a few words spoken by a Christian brother or sister will cheer the lonely pilgrim. When the hour of temptation and trial comes, it sometimes seems as though the turbulent and angry waves of trouble and despair would entirely engulf us. Then words of sympathy and love come to our minds that were spoken when our friends least thought they were speaking words of encouragement. And this is one of the many ways our kind Heavenly Father works through us by his Holy Spirit to comfort and strengthen each other in time of need. The words, “God bless you,” spoken by a dear brother at parting, have many times been spoken again in my ear by the still, small voice when the enemy has come very near, seeking to devour. Also the words, “We may have sweet peace and comfort,” come to my mind often, and I raise my earnest cry to Heaven, Oh! that I may do just right at all times, that this sweet peace and comfort may be mine to enjoy! Again, I remember the words spoken by a dear sister, “We shall rest by-and-by.” Oh! how soothing when the tired brain and limbs are throbbing with pain. Yes, tired ones, we shall rest by-and-by in those heavenly mansions now preparing for us. If a few words spoken in the right spirit encourage me so much, how ready I should be to speak at all times words that will encourage others. We are expecting words of good cheer from the servants of God—the messengers who speak to us from time to time—but we often excuse ourselves, thinking that we cannot say anything to encourage them. Now they have many severe struggles with the enemy. They are human and must overcome as well as we. They are awake and at their post. Satan is also awake and at his post. When we sleep, he sleeps. Now, do not our leaders long for the words of sympathy and love, also words of good cheer from us, filling the responsible places they do, where the mind is continually perplexed with the burden and care of all the churches? Jesus, when he sweat great drops of blood, would have been glad to have his dear disciples watch with him. Oh! may we not sleep as they did, but let us agonize to enter in at the strait gate. What if you do have to bear burdens and agony of mind for others’ sins and your own, until the great drops of sweat stand upon your brow! Remember the agony of our Saviour. “Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.” Heb. 12: 4. May we live very near to Jesus; then our tongues will not be silent when we are with those that teach us how to walk in the narrow way. “Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.” Gal. 6: 6. If we all live so near the Lord that we can prove our own work, then shall we have rejoicing in ourselves and not in another.