Encouragement can work wonders

Robert Collier wrote: "Most of us, swimming against the tides of trouble the world knows nothing about, need only a bit of praise or encouragement - and we will make the goal." Thanks to encouragement one is more motivated to progress in life rather than by simply being scourged by her/his own failures. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was right when he said: "Correction does much, but encouragement does more".

Lately I have been pondering about the powerful effect of encouragement. In my prayer time the Lord gave me the passage 2 Corinthians 1, 3-7. I was specifically amazed at the frequency of the word encouragement (in Greek paráklesis) which is found in this scriptural text. It surfaces no less than 10 times. In this pericope, St Paul speaks about the transforming power of encouragement.

By reading this biblical text I came to realise that God really cares for those who are faithful to him. We know that many a time when we surrender ourselves to Christ's Spirit, persecution starts cropping up around us.

Being aware of this reality, the Apostle of the Gentiles exhorted his Corinthian brethren: "For just as Christ's sufferings overflow to us, so also does the encouragement that we receive through Christ's overflow"

(v. 5). God not only helps us when we are persecuted for the cause of right but also allows that the hardships we undergo impart on others encouragement and salvation. "If we are facing trials, it is for your encouragement - and salvation" (v.6).

Those who receive God's encouragement with an open heart are competent to administer it to the afflicted ones. They can enter sympathetically into other people's experiences.

And what is sympathy if not, according to Goudge, "love perfected by experience?" If we happen to be given a hard time because we walk in God's light, let us not forget that God's consoling grace teaches us how to be an encouraging presence with those who suffer unjustly. Thus, Bengel's dictum stands clear: "He who has experienced one kind of affliction is particularly qualified to console others in the same and all circumstances."

Let us ask the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, to fill us with His encouragement. Empowered by His encouragement we shall be able to lift others' spirits up. In St Therese of Lisieux's words, "one word or a pleasing smile is often enough to raise up a saddened and wounded soul".