There are times in life that we have to take an active role in encouraging ourselves. This could come in a time when no one is around to help us. It could be a season of pruning when one feels bare and lonely. It could be a time when there is a lot of persecution all around. On rare occasions, it could be a moment that one feels betrayed and isolated from others. Encouragement is an important part of our walk with God. It helps sustain us in times of doubt, difficulty, or pressure.
Speak to your own soul
Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him? For the help of His countenance. Psalm 42:5 & 11
The poet is in tune with his soul and knows at this moment, his soul is depressed and is in anguish. It is interesting that even a psychologist would tell you that depression is anger turned inward. People who have been in hurtful situations that they couldn’t change them or talk about them, keep the tumult in their heart. This, eventually raises its ugly head in the form of depression.
Depression is a place of losing hope and feeling like things will not change. The Psalmist speaks to his soul and says to it, put your hope in God. He is the one worthy of praise. He is the one who has never failed me nor forsaken me. He is the one who can even change my countenance and renew hope in my heart.
We need to say to ourselves: People or circumstances around me may continue to vex me, but my expectation is in God. I know He is good, and He seeks good for me. I will always hope in Him and look to Him for the help I need.
Call yourself what God calls you
In Song of Solomon, the Shulamite woman encourages herself differently.
I am dark, but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, Like the curtains of Solomon. Song of Solomon 1:5
The Shulamite woman is not in denial of who she is since she calls herself “dark” but she quickly says, “but lovely”. That loveliness is something we cannot forget. There are times that we may think we are in a dark place. We feel no one loves us or cares about us, but we have to quickly remember that we are still lovely. Jesus died for me because He loves me, so I am lovely.
It is interesting even in the description of her darkness, the Shulamite woman didn’t compare herself to dirt, or a black sheep, but she compared herself to the tents of Kedar and curtains of Solomon. Kedar was a nomadic tribe that historians think came form Neo-Assyrian Empire. Of course, Solomon was a mighty king at the time of this writing. While she was trying to describe her darkness, she was still using royalty analogies. It would be as if trying to describe being dark to a black Rolls Royce or a black Corvette. The Shulamite identity had changed while she may still have had traces of her past hurts or her past failures.
God wants us to see ourselves as the Shulamite woman describes herself in this verse. We are lovely even though we weren’t loved before. We are lovely even though we were mistreated in the hands of others like the Shulamite woman was (see Song of Solomon1:6). Our identity makes us different now. We are in the chambers of the king, and the more we recognize it and believe it, it gives us a confident humility about who we are. It encourages us to stay the course because we see ourselves like God sees us. There is hope that things will get better, and that we are changing more into our true identity.
If you need encouragement, take time today through His word and His Spirit to actively encourage yourself.