Follow up
So, they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed. ~ Acts 16:40
Have you ever had a friend or even someone from your past suddenly come to your thoughts? Maybe it was someone you had not talked to in a while, or perhaps it was a person who always seemed like they had it all together and never really seemed to need encouragement. This happens to me often. For many years, I didn’t know what to do with those thoughts when they came, but then the Holy Spirit showed me that He was putting them on my heart so I would pray for them.
As I began to pray for the people who randomly came into my memory, I would feel inspired to reach out and encourage them. Sometimes I thought, “They are doing fine and don’t care what I have to say.” Other times I wondered, “I haven’t spoken to this person in years, won’t it be strange to message them now?” Despite my reservations, I became determined to encourage whoever came to mind. I recognized that the Holy Spirit placed them on my heart for a reason. I cannot remember a single time when I reached out and the person didn’t respond with something like, “This is exactly what I needed right now.” Even if that hadn’t happened, I would still continue to follow the Spirit’s leading. After reaching out, I often followed up a few days later just to check in again and remind them that they were still on my heart.
In today’s reading, Paul and Silas were released from prison after being wrongly accused. But instead of leaving town bitter about their mistreatment in Philippi, they circled back to Lydia’s house to encourage the believers there. They didn’t go for their own comfort, but to strengthen the church and remind them to keep up the good fight of faith.
Can you imagine going through a terrible ordeal that was not your fault, and then turning around to encourage someone else who wasn’t even going through anything so difficult? Paul wanted the church to know that God had turned everything for good, and that they should not be afraid to continue the work of the gospel in their region. His encouragement strengthened their faith in God’s ability to do the impossible.
So go ahead and check in on those around you, whether they are walking through good times or hard times. Send a message of encouragement and let them know you are praying for them. Share what God has done for you and remind them that miracles still happen. You may not see prison doors swing open in the natural, but you will certainly see chains fall in the spirit when you walk in faith and speak life into others. God will never let you down when you put your trust in Him.
Here are some ways you can begin to put this into practice in your life:
- When someone comes to mind unexpectedly, pause and pray for them right away
- Reach out with a simple message of encouragement, even if it feels weird or uncomfortable
- Share a verse of Scripture or a testimony of what God has done in your life
- Follow up after a few days to let them know you are still thinking of them and praying for them
- Make encouragement a habit by scheduling a weekly reminder to reach out to someone God places on your heart
Today I want to encourage you to see every thought of another person as a possible nudge from the Holy Spirit. Your obedience to pray and to reach out may be the very thing that lifts their heart and reminds them that God is with them. Just as Paul strengthened the church after walking through trials, you can strengthen those around you by speaking encouragement and sharing God’s faithfulness.
Today’s scripture reading: Acts 16:35-40
35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, “Let those men go.”
36 So the keeper of the prison reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Now therefore depart and go in peace.”
37 But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us openly, uncondemned Romans, and have thrown us into prison. And now do they put us out secretly? No indeed! Let them come themselves and get us out.”
38 And the officers told these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans.
39 Then they came and pleaded with them and brought them out and asked them to depart from the city.
40 So they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.
Journal:
- Who came to mind recently that I should reach out to and encourage?
- What specific Scripture or truth could I share with them this week?
- How can I make encouragement a consistent practice in my walk with God?
The Daily Dose 