BIBLE VERSES for ENCOURAGEMENT

The best Bible verses for encouragement may not offer quick and easy solutions for eliminating the trouble, sadness or grief in our lives. But they do give us the tools to weather the storm and get through whatever it is that is bringing us sorrow.

The scriptures don't abandon us and leave us to flounder spiritually but Christians looking for a quick fix might experience some disappointment because God doesn't make the promise that if we follow him that all our problems will be solved. Instead He reminds us that the rain will fall equally on the just as well as the unjust.

Troubleshooting the messes that humans make of their lives and the world is not God's job. Rather, He gives us the advice that during troubling moments, we should turn to Bible verses for encouragement, comfort and a reinforcement of faith not to look for a remedy for our car not starting, not having enough money in our bank account or fixing a relationship gone bad.

His promise is that our faith will deflect the darts launched in our direction not to prevent them. Here's one of my favorite inspirational Bible verses for encouragement that explains the need to carefully foster our faith.


Ephesians 6:16
"Above all, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one."

Return to Motivational Inspirational Posters Poems and Quotes to find more Bible verses for comfort and encouragement.

DEEP SAD POEMS

Strangely enough sad poems often have the ability of comforting us rather than to drag us down into the mood of the author. In theory, when we are feeling loss of a loved one through death or a breakup, to hunker down with a tissue and a book filled with sad and touching poems might be the worst possible therapy. The thoughts on this are that such material would pull us further into the deep mire of grief and add fuel to the fire of misery rather than to lift us up and help us to move on.

If this is the case, why do we pull together just enough energy after a devasting moment in life to drag ourselves out of bed or our favorite chair to dress and shuffle down to the neighborhood book store to find a book filled with deep, sad poems? Are we as human beings that self-destructive by nature?

I had pondered this behavior for awhile. Whenever a friend called after a death in their family or a relationship went bad, I did my best to steer them away from sad poems on death and dying or loss of love. This was my way of helping them to heal and wallowing in their despair.

Recently, I needed some comforting myself. A death of a loved one at any time is bad, but a loss during the holidays has to be the worst of all. In my efforts to heal myself, I made the decision to devote some time to home organization. Cleaning out shelves and drawers was my way of busying my mind as well as making sense of the world.

In the process, I came across a book of poetry that I had seen my loved one reading from time to time. The need for a connection compelled me to take a break, sit for a minute and read a few lines. If it had been obvious that there were sad poems in the mix, I might never have allowed myself to open the book. But there was no indication that the poetry was written on the subject of sadness.

When I started to turn the pages, a piece of paper with familiar handwriting fell into my lap. It was a sad poem that was written during a rough patch in my friend's life. She had lost a husband almost immediately after she got the news that she was expecting their child and wrote this touching poem of sadness. Somehow I knew that writing her feelings made her feel better. I know that it changed my opinion in regards to the healing properties of poetry.




I miss you in the morning
When at first I wake
Your voice and smile are with me
With every move I make

We’d been a pair forever
It seems since the first breath I took
Now I find myself alone yet not alone
A leaf floating in the brook

I find solace, however
In memories of time together
Keeping them close in my heart of hearts
Will comfort me forever


Even though the Lord has called you
And you are at home above
You haven’t left me cold and alone
For I’m carrying your love


You can rest easy in your reward
Knowing that your love will go on
What we learned together will be shared with others
In the light that shines within me long after you’ve gone.


Return to Motivational Inspirational, Posters, Deep Sad Poems and Quotes to find more poetry that may help you to cope with a loss.

Feelings of Sadness and Sorrow

There are as many reasons to feel sad as there are people who are experiencing feelings of sadness and sorrow. Pain and anger are strong emotions that are direct results to negative experiences that unfortunately are a part of modern life. I’m sure you have heard the old saying that tells us that nobody gets out of this world alive and that is so true.

It is also a fact as we are told in the Bible, that the rain falls on the just as well as the unjust. In fact, scripture tells us that living is often more difficult for those with faith than those who indulge in sinful ways. Is there any wonder that we have such strong feelings of sadness and sorrow when we see innocent children in pain from illnesses or that are victims of abuse while criminals wallow in luxury free as birds or are taken care of with three meals a day and a warm bed albeit within prison walls? How can we help but be confused with such an enigma?

There are excellent inspirational poems and quotes on feelings of sadness and sorrow in the Bible as well as motivational books written by our fellow sufferers that offer practical and spiritual advice on how to handle them. Our faith doesn’t promise a life with no sorrow, but it provides comfort and a promise of hope to those who believe.

Friends of mine tell me that when they find themselves in a dark place filled with depression that they have certain verses in the Bible bookmarked to help them cope. Once they allow the comforting words to infiltrate their minds, they are able to once again pick up their daily lives with a clear head and a hopeful spirit.

Once of my favorite non-Biblical quotes about sadness reinforces what the Bible says, which says to let it go. Send it up in prayer and let God’s plan for us take the pressure out of our feelings of sadness. Because as the quote states, if we build walls around ourselves to keep the grief and despair out of our lives you also build a wall that keeps out the joy and love that life has to offer. We have to take the good with the bad and trust God’s word to tell us how to make it through.

Return to Motivational Inspirational Posters Poems and Quotes for more sayings and poems that may lift your spirits and inspire you.

INSPIRATIONAL BIBLE QUOTES that APPLY TO EVERYDAY LIFE

Inspirational Bible Quotes have a way of giving us direction, peace and confidence in our relationships with our beloved spouses, friends and family members. And at times scripture can guide us to make the right decisions in not only our own lives, but give us the tools to comfort others.

How many times has a troubled friend called you on the telephone or contacted you with a letter asking your opinions and seeking relationship advice and you felt that you didn’t have the right words to give them comfort? It’s very hard to know what to say that will help them make a decision whether to stay or leave, whether to continue to try or to throw in the towel.

Quotes from the Bible about love are plentiful, but I found this inspirational Bible quote to be the most helpful in a recent conversation that I had with a friend who was beginning to suspect her fiancé of being unfaithful. She expressed little faith in him by doubting his fidelity and on the other hand she was very upset because she was in love and didn’t want to end the engagement.

I advised her to seek premarital counseling and to turn to the Word of God for guidance. The best Bible quote I could think of to address her feelings at the moment was 1 John 4:18.

The quote from 1 John 4:18 "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear" tells me that the right kind of love will give you strength, build character and self esteem. The wrong kind of love will only break a person down and take them down paths that are destructive and dead end. This quotation gives the advice that my friend was seeking if she would only open her heart. If the love she had for her intended was producing fear, perhaps it was not the right kind of love that God intends for a husband and wife to have for each other.


Before you offer your own advice to friends, remember there are inspirational Bible quotes that offer divine guidance that can improve or eliminate most of the problems that we face in life.

Return to Motivational Inspirational Bible Quotes, Poems and Posters to find more thoughts on how man should look to the Good Book for solutions to life's problems.

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE ABOUT GOSSIP

"Another privilege of talking is to misquote"

Can there be an inspirational quote about gossip? To some of us who have managed to dodge the rumor mill such inspiration may be considered unnecessary. However, those who have been the subject of misquotes and misinformation may need some motivational words to help them develop thicker skins or maybe to apply a little emotional water proofing so that incorrect facts or downright dirty lies will roll over and off of them like water off a ducks back.

Conversation and the sharing of local news are entertaining. But often in the repeating of tidbits of news the stories start to take on a life of their own and the facts get embroidered and decorated so that they will attract a larger audience and be even more interesting than they were in the beginning.

Those who are the victims of this mode of misguided entertainment should take heart and know that even the most positive kind of fame rarely lasts more than 15 minutes or so I'm told. So, our quote about gossip tells us that talking is so common that even the juiciest of rumors won't stay on the tongues of nosy people long enough to worry with.

Return to Motivational Inspirational Posters Poems and Quotes about Gossip

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES TO GET YOU THROUGH FAMILY GATHERINGS

Many of us dread the less than inspirational family gatherings during the Christmas holidays. Sadly, Christmas is portrayed in the movies as an opportunity for dysfunctional families to air their dirty laundry and work out their frustrations.

Perhaps a cousin, aunt or uncle tossed about a few demeaning words or insulted you last Christmas. Those lingering memories of hurt feelings certainly make you less excited about getting together with your loved ones for yet another holiday round of taking potshots at each other, don't they?

The best advice is to turn the other cheek and let the healing start with you. Don't engage in the verbal exchanges. Let's make a commitment to transform the holidays.

Contribute positive and complimentary comments whenever appropriate and called for. If a negative thought travels through your mind; let it go. Let's take Christmas back to a time of inspiration and closeness that it's meant to be.

Here's an inspirational quotation that can apply to our dealings with family members at Christmas or any time of year.



Your loved ones will forgive you for what you have said
Your family will forget things that you have done
They will never forget the way that you made them feel



The meaning of this short inspirational quote is that feelings live much longer than the actual effects of a pointed remark or action. The message here is that if you have hurt those who love you in the past. There's no time like the present to make things better between you.

INSPIRATIONAL MESSAGES for CHRISTMAS

I had promised my visitors a series of inspirational messages for Christmas and I have to apologize that family illness has kept me from fulfilling my promise for a few days. However, every occurrence in our lives can have great meaning if you just take the time to look for it. My recent time spent worrying in the waiting room of the local hospital gave me some time for observation and introspection that I would otherwise probably not have had.


The Christmas season is one of the most recognized holidays in the world today. It has the power to transcend both language and cultural barriers and in some instances; religious beliefs. People love to take advantage of this time when even people at war with each other can lay down their weapons and come together in peace. It can also provide a time for personal reflection.


So many people are in search of inspirational messages for Christmas. I’m not sure if they are searching for themselves or if they simply want something to read aloud to their loved ones before sitting down to a celebratory meal. Either is a worthy cause in my book as anytime is a good time to initiate spiritual family rituals that maintain the connection to ideals that are both divine and sacred.


I’d like to share with you a funny Christmas quote about what it’s like not to be a child at Christmas. It’s one that I remember from Erma Bombeck’s writings from a while back:


There's nothing sadder in this world than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child.



That is certainly a negative about not being a kid, but here’s an
inspirational message
for Christmas that reminds us that even if we are old, that we should be childlike in our faith:

LET US KEEP CHRISTMAS


Whatever else be lost among the years,
Let us keep Christmas still a shining thing;
Whatever doubts assail us, or what fears,
Let us hold close one day, remembering
It's poignant meaning for the hearts of men.
Let us get back our childlike faith again.



With those inspirational words of wisdom, Grace Noll Crowell reminds us that Christmas can be a time of rebirth. A time when we can regain our faith in ourselves and mankind.

Return to Motivational Inspirational Message for Christmas, Posters Poems and Quotes to find more words that bring meaning to the holidays.