Encouraging yourself in the Lord Pt 6

We’ve looked at a number of ways that we can encourage ourselves in the Lord in a difficult time.  Incidentally, why wait for a difficult time to use these techniques?  Why not use them daily to keep yourself encouraged, built up, prepared for life and prepared in advance of trouble?
The next technique that we’ll talk about can be seen in James 5:11, where it says, ‘Indeed we count them blessed who endure.  You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful’.  How could the writer say that unless He’s seen the end of the Lord’s dealings with him?  In other words, what has the Lord done before?  If He’s acted on our behalf before can we not expect Him to take care of us again?
The Lord brought Job through.  He’s brought us through before.  It’s what He does.  So, the principle is to encourage ourselves by reminding ourselves what He’s done before and that if He took care of us before, then He can do it again.  There are two kinds of these things . . . what He’s done for others, whether in the Bible or in the lives of others, and the things that He has done for us, for me, for you.
Remind yourself of the things that He’s done for others to encourage yourself, of course.  However, how much better would it be to remember the things that He’s done for you personally?  Remind yourself of how God has dealt with you before in a time of need or distress.  We have to be able to have those divine interventions at our finger tips when we need them.  When you’re in a storm, how hard is it to remember something like this?  We need to be prepared in advance.
I recommend a notebook or a list of these events kept somewhere.  In a time of trouble, you can pull that list out and use it to remind yourself of the Lord’s faithfulness, love and care for you in previous hard times.  Begin right now and write down things that you can remember . . . things that He’s done. Keep the list handy.  Back it up somewhere, too.  When you think of other things that He’s done for you, add them to your list.  As the Lord continues to move in your life, add those to your list as well.  Every time you pass through a time of trouble and He has delivered you, add those to the list.
Then when problems arise, get the list out.  Rediscovering how the Lord has been faithful to you in the past will bring great encouragement to you.  Then, when that deliverance comes, add it too!  Do you think that the Lord has never helped you?  Well, are you still here?  Have you ever had difficulties?  Well, then, He made a way for you through that trouble.  Use this tool to encourage yourself in the Lord as well as singing, thanksgiving, His Word, and a mind full of the right stuff.
He’s given us all of the tools that we need to stay encouraged.  Use them.  Next week we’ll discover yet another tool that we can use to stay encouraged in the Lord.  Join me for that.