Encouraging and Rejoicing with Others

When I lost my parents, I lost my biggest fans...they thought I could do anything!  It was kind of funny to me because they just seemed blinded to my imperfections and inadequacies.  They just believed in me and encouraged me all the way no matter what.  I wish I could be like that to my sons. Unfortunately, so often, I find myself being the one who plants doubt in their ears...my own insecurities filtering down to my kids...it's shameful.  I feel like one of the people who opposed the rebuilding of the Temple in Ezra 4:4

Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building.

How many times I have been the one discouraging not just my sons but those around me, trying to make them afraid to "go on building."  With my words and actions I tear down when I should be building up...often I don't even have to say anything, because my facial expressions do the talking.  I find my kids intently looking at me when I'm trying not to say anything, because even in my silence I scream...sigh...

I'm so sorry about that...I don't want to be this person who moves others to lower their expectations.  I want to be the one who brings them up and help them spread their wings of possibilities...I want the Holy Spirit to change me and give me what it takes to become an encourager...a blessing...

I don't want to be the one who joins in the tearing apart of others.  I want to be the one who moves others to build each other up.

The people in this passage from Ezra 4 were actually jealous, if you think about it.  I think they suspected that Judah was in on something big, out of this world, supernatural even, and they wanted in.  They wanted to be a part of it, even if it wasn't meant to be like that.  When they got rejected, that's when the plots to discourage and to sabotage Judah's efforts began.  But there is no sense trying to stop God's plans for ourselves or for others.  This was God's given mission to His people in exile: that they would go back to their promised land, and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem.  Those around must have recognized the divinity of this plan and they didn't just want to rejoice with the people of Judah.  They were not content with cheering them on and encouraging them.  They wanted a piece of that heavenly cake.  And when they didn't get it...they threw a fit.  

It might seem counter-intuitive, but, if we are honest with ourselves, sometimes it is hard to rejoice with others when they are getting something we also want for ourselves...but we are not getting...It is easier to be sad with them when they didn't get it either.  I don't know if this is ringing any bells with anyone...but, I know I've been there many times...and I don't want to be like that.  I want to be the one who rejoices in the joy, accomplishments, gains, happiness, wins of others even if I'm feeling like I should be getting it also...and I'm not.  I don't want to be that selfish, that I ruin the celebration because I'm envious...I want to have the clarity of mind to understand and accept when God's plans for others does not include me.  I want to remember that God has His own, uniquely crafted plan for me too.

sigh...

I pray that the Holy Spirit will inspire me, change my heart and lead me to a way of life where I can help others see the potential that lies inside of themselves and encourage them to accomplish their God given plans for their lives...even if in my distorted view of myself, I feel insecure about my own path and my own gains.  I pray the Holy Spirit clears my vision and allows me to see my own God-given plan and my own unique and divine pathway while I rejoice on how those who walk with me find their own way too.  In Christ's Name. Amen!