Time for another SOAP Notes devotional! If you aren’t sure what I am referencing, see this post for a full explanation of this series!

Today’s key verse is Hebrews 3:13

S: Encourage one another daily so that none of you is hardened (becomes insensitive to God) by sin’s deception [its cleverness, delusive glamour, and sophistication].

O: When we encourage one another, it undoes sin’s deceptive work on our hearts and minds and keeps us sensitive to and connected with the Lord.

A: The action of encouraging others is a vitally important part of our service to others. By encouraging one another, we are keeping people receptive to God and His ability to work in us. We must also recognize that encouraging “one another” may also include encouraging oneself.¹

P: Father, give me eyes to see opportunities to encourage others and the faithfulness to act. Give me the wisdom to make the most of every opportunity.²

References:
1. “…David encouraged and strengthened himself in the Lord his God.” 1 Samuel 30:6b

2. “…make the very most of your time [on earth, recognizing and taking advantage of each opportunity and using it with wisdom and diligence], because the days are [filled with] evil. Ephesians 5:16

Final Thoughts:
Encouragement is a powerful thing. Not only does it impact the recipient, but encouraging someone else will, in turn, put us in a more positive mood. While the purpose of doing good is not to be seen, research has even shown that an observer of a good deed gets a boost of positive emotion—despite the fact that they were not involved in the good deed “transaction” itself! Additionally those who are encouraged by your kind words or kind deeds become more likely to perpetuate positive acts and emotions, thus creating a ripple effect! When you encourage someone, you have a larger impact than you think.

| Kaci

Reader Questions:
1/ What’s one encouraging thing someone did for you this last week?
2/ Have you ever witnessed a positive interaction between two people and noticed yourself suddenly feeing more generous because of it?

Thanks to Amanda for hosting the linkup!