"Wow, that really blessed me! Thanks for sharing. :-)"
That's what the email I sent said.
I didn't have time to write anything else during the hustle and bustle of my morning. But I just had to respond to the brief inspirational message I noticed in my inbox while checking some business email.
The writer and I don’t know each other on a personal level, nor have we ever even met in passing. But her words really resonated with my spirit and I felt led to reach out.
“I have been feeling so low and unappreciated lately,” she wrote back almost instantly. “You don’t know how much that message meant to me because I was thinking about giving up.”
I wasn’t expecting that response at all!
I just felt moved to send her a thank you note. I’m so glad I did! Had I not, the enemy might have robbed the world of this woman's precious gift through one of his most crafty weapons, discouragement.
I told her to be encouraged, even when no one stops to say thank you. And that’s the message I want to leave with you today.
If no one celebrates you, know that God is pleased. And let that be enough.
You might have a thankless job. No one may verbally acknowledge your contribution or pat you on the back. What you pour out of your heart might seem to go unnoticed, but don’t stop.
If the enemy can get you to quit, you cut off your own blessings and withhold the blessing of your gift from others.
Don’t look for the praise of men. Just know that God sees and He never overlooks your labor of love, even when others do.
To remind you of this important lesson in today’s post, I’m stirring Luke 17:11-19 into your cup of inspiration. It is the story of how Jesus healed the ten lepers and only one returned to say thanks.
When you drink down the contents of your cup, you will be reminded that Christ our Savior was also under-appreciated, but He yet loved, gave and sacrificed. If Jesus, our consummate teacher and example could do it, by His power, so can you.
Now let’s pray.
God, I thank You for revealing how the enemy tries to use discouragement to get me to abandon my life’s purpose. I pray that You will help me keep my focus on pleasing You, not gaining the praise and approval of man. Remind me often that as long as You are pleased, that is all that matters. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift, encourage, and empower you!