Welcome to another segment of Triumphant Tuesdays: Women Triumphing Over the Everday and the Extraordinary! Today, Sharon Abraham of Simple Musings shares her story. These ladies have incredible blogs, please make sure to see below as well as visit their sites to find out more about them…
“UGH!” She retorted. Not a second passed before she looked at me and realized the gravity of her one word comment. Another child had won a prize and well, this little one had not. Instead, she got the “teacher look” from me and within a few moments, she was completely aware of the effect her words had on another student. She proceeded to quickly apologize and replace her frustration with a word of encouragement.
Why do we have such a hard time encouraging others when things are going well for them?
If people have done well, there seems to be an underlying movement of individuals who struggle to congratulate someone. Instead, it is met with the criticism, envy, and jealousy. Granted, our real feelings aren’t always verbalized, but we know. You know yourself. I know myself. Yes. We are a broken people.
I’ll confess. I’ve had to check myself about my reactions and responses when I’ve heard of wonderful things happening for people. I’ve had to sit back and ask God to shift my heart’s posture because it was not pretty. Why is that?! Why can’t it be easier to encourage and uplift others? #aworkinprogress
“A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.” – James Keller
-Amen & amen.
For those who do this in a pure and automatic way, kudos to you. (Please teach me). I am learning! For those of us who are learning, it’s always important to check the heart and its intentions. If we recognize there is even the slightest ill-feeling, pray. As simple as it sounds, really ask the Lord to shift the position of your heart and mind. Along with this, be honest with yourself and identify if this is an area of growth for you. (It’s okay if it is). So, the next time you hear of any exciting news that’s happening to someone other than yourself, check your response.
So today, let’s think about how we can compliment instead of criticize. The next time we hear of something great happening for someone, let’s be the first. Let’s be the first to congratulate and celebrate others. Let’s create a culture where we lift others up.
Meet Sharon:
Sharon Abraham is a lover of Jesus, travel, and reading. Sharon started her blog Simple Musings in hopes of encouraging women to dive deeper into the Word and their relationship with Christ. As she writers, Sharon is often reminded of how God is using these posts to teach and refine her.
