Prayer and Praise

“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” - Romans 15:5-6

I think the idea of encouraging others gets talked about pretty often in church circles.    I want to raise a reflection about whether you consider yourself as one for whom Christ has a positive "attitude of mind?"  Like putting on your own oxygen mask first when an emergency arises on an airliner, can we encourage others when we ourselves do not have an encouraged, enduring attitude for ourselves?  There is the saying, "What goes around comes around," suggesting that if we give encouragement we will receive encouragement.  Yet, perhaps we should be filling our own well first, before we try encouraging others?  From where does this encouragement come?  From the passage, the answer is obvious that it comes from God.  The whole focus of the verse is to pray this in order for God to give it.  The means by which encouragement comes is through prayer and praise.  Pray for encouragement and endurance of what is set before you, give God the gratitude and praise for being there to give this aid, then observe silence if God might like to speak to you or to watch God work.  You are His.  God will not abandon or forsake!