Encouragement

Friday afternoon

John Farell - in confession you hear only what God should hear.  You hear the goodness they do not hear themselves, you find them all touchingly lovable.

Acts 4 v36 Barnabas - "son of encouragement"

Be attentive
Turn a blind eye to most things
Now and then challenge a bit.  Try to speak the truth as you see it with love.
Encourage a lot

Deuteronomy-"Choose life"

To act in a way that brings more life to a situation is a learned art.  We have great power over others either to build them up - or the reverse

Hebrews 3:13. Keep encouraging each other 

Encouragement was at the very centre of the ministry of Jesus.  "I have come that you may have life, life to the full"

Ignatius of Loyola - the human being is a battlefield between two spirits, the Evil One wanting to discourage, where the good spirit will often challenge us but will never discourage - discouragement never comes from the Spirit of God.

2 main sources of encouragement - fidelity to daily prayer. Be consoled that the less you pray, the worse it gets!  Not a high motive, but a kickstart.  
The other main source is the witness of others.  

Encouraging each other - go on relentlessly looking for the good in others.  If you look for the good, you can draw out the good, it is always there.  The other way is to under grace train ourselves to live in a spirit of praise and thanksgiving.  Gratitude is a sure way home.

2 Corinthians 13:10 - the authority which the Lord has given to me is for building up and not destroying.

"I have come that you may have life, life to the full"