Have you ever been discouraged by all the evil in the world? Have you ever been discouraged by all the problems around us?

The sad truth is that we live in a broken and fallen world. We live in a world that has sin, and because of that, there will always be evil, brokenness, and hurt.

We will never be able to solve all the problems. Only the return of Christ will do that. Only then will everything be restored, but in the midst of the waiting, we don’t have to be silent.

There are people all around us who are hurting, searching for answers. What hope we can give them by showing them Jesus! What hope we can give them by allowing God to use us to encourage their weary hearts!

While we can’t change the entire world, we can each do our part to breathe life into those around us, and I know I need to be more intentional about it.

I know many people right now who are walking through very tough things. There are people on journeys where their reality is so far from their expectations of how this season of life should be. There are people silently suffering because they are too afraid to share the hurt and disappointment they are facing. There is so much brokenness, and my heart breaks for them.

We all have people we rub shoulders with every day who are looking for encouragement, hope, and peace. We can touch the lives of those around us just by imitating Christ.

This week, reach out to someone who is having a hard time. Be intentional about connecting with them. Be intentional about encouraging them, and let God do the rest.

Lord, I ask that you give me a heart for those who are hurting. Help me to reach out to them and be a safe person for them to turn to when they feel like everything is falling apart. Give me the words to share that speak truth and encouragement and point back to you. Lord, I desire to be used right where I am to shine your light into the darkness. Thank you for being close to the brokenhearted. Thank you for the hope and peace you bring. In Jesus’ name, amen!