I was spending time with the Lord recently when I came across this verse –
But God, who always knows how to encourage the depressed, encouraged us greatly…” 2 Corinthians 7:6 (tPt)
After reading this verse I started praying for a couple girlfriends, who I know are going through hard things. I was praying that God would encourage them because He is the only one who truly knows how to encourage us.
But the Lord kept bringing me back to the first two words, “but God”.
“But God…”
And I kept thinking, how funny it is that when we need encouragement we tend to look everywhere except to the Lord.
He is the one “who always knows how to encourage the depressed” but when we are sad don’t we look to our friends, our family, our church leaders, or substances to make ourselves feel better?
If you look to the previous verse it gives a pretty good picture of Paul’s state of mind,
Even after we came into the province of Macedonia, we found no relief. We were restless and exhausted; troubles met us at every turn. Outwardly I faced conflicts and inwardly emotional turmoil.” 2 Corinthians 7:5 (tPt)
Paul wasn’t in a good place and I can definitely relate. I can’t tell you how many times in my life it has felt like troubles were hitting me around every corner and the last month I feel like all I’ve done is wrestle through emotional turmoil.
“But God…”
God knows what we are going through, He knows our hearts better than anyone ever will, which is why He is the only one who can always encourage us.
“But God…”
He is the only one with the answers we are so desperately looking for.
He is the only one who can heal the deep wounds in our hearts.
He is the only one who can truly encourage us.
So why is it that we never make it about God but God is actually what it’s all about?
Everything we need, everything we are looking for is found in Him.
“But God…”
In Paul’s story what the Lord used to encourage him was a friend, Titus, and words of encouragement from the church in Corinth. I don’t know what His encouragement for you will look like but what I do know is that you won’t find it unless you go to Him.
Go to Him and lay it all down, give Him your hurt, give Him your anger, give Him your brokenness, give it all to Him and allow Him to speak to you. Maybe He will use a passage from the Bible to encourage you, maybe it will be a worship song, maybe it will be a hug from a friend, maybe it will be a postcard in the mail, maybe it will be a prophetic word, it could be one of a million things, but whatever it is, it will be perfect.
And I pray that when He give you that perfect encouragement that you will know beyond a shadow of a doubt that it’s from your Father and that you will feel so loved and seen by Him.
