Giving Encouragement

There is much along life’s way to discourage. Some shadows fall upon the pathways of every person. One of Satan’s strongest devices to overthrow a soul is to discourage it. Indefatigable is he in his efforts to make the way seem hard. He will try to make it seem that no one in all the world cares for you. Knowing this, how ready we should be to give encouragement to the despairing one! We are going through this world but once, and it is far better to be a sunbeam than a cloud. This world has need of your smiles, but not of your frowns. Enough shadows are falling upon those around you.

This is a busy world, indeed; but God pity the man that is so busy that he cannot scatter a little sunshine as he goes along! The light of a smile will never die out. The fragrance of a kind word will never lose its sweetness. They will beautify your own soul and cheer the life of others. They will make earth a heaven for you and disperse the gloom from other hearts.

This sweet story I was one time told: A lady who was very sick sent for a certain gentleman. When he came to the bedside of the sick woman, she said, “Sir, I have long had a desire to thank you for the encouragement you gave me one day.”

“Madam,” the man replied, “you must be mistaken; I have no recollection of ever meeting you before.”

“I am a stranger to you, I know,” said the lady; “but one day I was walking along the street and my heart was heavy and all the world seemed to be frowning. I met you, and you had such an encouraging look on your face that it cheered my heart; and I desire to thank you for that encouraging countenance.”

A cheerful disposition will bring cheer to many hearts unknown. Living much in the presence of God will radiate your soul with a beauteous light that will make you a blessing among men. In the secret closet is where the soul becomes filled with a sweet fragrance that will be borne into the lives of others. In the secret closet the soul will be lighted up with a heavenly radiance that will make the countenance beam like the outshining of an altar-fire. Those who live much in converse with God have more than even the tender words of human sympathy and love; they have the words fresh with power and beauty from the heart of God. They are the light of the world, and their light casts its bright beams far into the gloom of sorrow. A letter recently received contained these words: “Oh! speak some encouraging word to my despairing soul!”

Someone is trudging, weary and worn,
Along life’s rugged way;
Strength is fast failing, hope almost gone,
Feet are going astray.

Speak a kind word, his lone heart to cheer
Wipe from his eye the sorrowing tear;
Drive from his life the gloom and despair;
Lend him a hand today.

The winds are blowing wildly and chill,
Filling some heart with fear;
Someone is toiling long up the steep hill
Under a load of care.

Someone’s tossing on life’s ocean wave,
No one to pity, no one to care;
Rush, my brother, with heart true and brave,
Help his burdens to bear.

Be up and doing while it is day,
Soon the long night will come;
Your life is fleeing swiftly away,
Soon ’twill be past and gone.

Do what you can to help those in need,
Be a blessing by word and by deed;
Let “Living for Others” be ever your creed;
Heaven will give you a crown.