How to Encourage Yourself in the Lord: 5 Powerful Reasons to Hope

If you’ve ever wondered how to encourage yourself in the Lord, you are in the right place. My friend, Mary Rooney Armand, wrote this guest post from the faith-based blog Butterfly Living. Her post is a perfect fit for our favorite topics here at One Exceptional Life. It’s filled with Bible Scriptures on encouraging yourself and will answer the many questions you have on the topic. Enjoy!

Overconfidence pushed me to leave the swimming pool steps.

I lunged into the water and immediately knew it was too deep, a mistake. 

Struggling to return to the side of the pool, fear gripped me. What had I done?

Suddenly, a gentle shove guided me back to safety. 

Redemption.

My swim instructor reminded me of the importance of following the rules and patiently waiting for instructions.

I remember this moment of rescue and feeling encouraged by someone who cared for my well-being.

Caused by accident or because of questionable choices, mistakes often become highlights in our stories. 

But we all make mistakes and face struggles—we all need to be encouraged, nudged, and embraced by God and others. During our weakest, we need to be encouraged in the Lord, the most.

God is your greatest redeemer and encourager; He is always by your side with His love, peace, grace, and mercy. 

Even when we step away into the unknown, He allows us to return to Him.

If you are in a season of drowning or feeling discouraged, my hope is this article will encourage you and guide you to sense the gentle touch of the Holy Spirit filling you with love and redemption.

#1 Encouraging yourself in the Lord: You are Uniquely Made

The starting place for a life of encouragement and hope is to know, without a doubt, that you are uniquely created by God and cherished by Him.

Do you believe you are special? If you struggle to accept this reality, call out to God and ask Him to reveal Himself to you. I promise He will love and accept you as you are today. Your part is to turn to Him. 

Psalms 139:13-16 NLT You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

Jeremiah 1:5 NLT I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born, I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.

Accepting and acknowledging Jesus in your life and His unique pattern for you sets you free! 

The starting place for a life of encouragement and hope is to know, without a doubt, that you are uniquely created by God and cherished by Him. How to #EncourageYourselfintheLord #ReasonsToHope Share on X

#2 How to Encourage Yourself in the Lord: You Have a Purpose

After we are confident in our identity in Christ, the next step in learning how to encourage yourself in the Lord is to discover our purpose.

The definition of purpose is the reason for which something is created or for which something exists.

What is your purpose? Most of us ask ourselves this question often. Our most important purpose is to shine the light of Christ on others. To love others as we love ourselves. But how do we do this practically?

Paul implores Christians in Ephesians 4:1 NLT, “Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.”

Ask God to reveal your calling. Our purpose is complex and can change throughout our lives. But as long as we are alive, we have a purpose to fulfill.

#3 Be Encouraged in the Lord: You have Special Gifts

Everyone is born unique with their own blueprint that includes special talents abilities, and gifts. Spiritual gifts are of the greatest importance because they guide you to know where you can be used to shine the light of Christ.

The Bible discusses various spiritual gifts and abilities given to Christ-followers through the Holy Spirit. 

Romans 12:6-8 TLV We have gifts that differ according to the grace that was given to us—if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; or the one who teaches, in his teaching; or the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who gives, in generosity; the one who leads, with diligence; the one who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

If you are unsure of your spiritual gifts there are tests available to help you determine how you can be used in the kingdom of God. 

#4 Be Encouraged in the Lord: You are Needed by Others

Paul reminds us in this “how to encourage yourself in the Lord” scripture in Corinthians is that we are an important part of the body of Christ. You are needed and play an essential role in the lives of others.

When we connect, support, and help each other, we grow closer together and closer to God. Connection is always the best remedy for comparison.

Be encouraged you are of value to God and other people.

1 Corinthians 12:27 KJV Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Ephesians 4:16 NLT He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

“Encouragement is not flattery or empty praise; it is like verbal sunshine. It costs nothing and warms other people’s hearts and inspires them with hope and confidence.” Nicky Gumbel

Colossians 2:2A NLT I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love.

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#5 Be Encouraged in the Lord: You are Forgiven

Jesus loves you and died so you could be free. He paid a price and forgives you. From this place of freedom, we are then able to forgive others. 

‘Forgiven people, forgive people!’

It is liberating to know we are forgiven. If you are struggling to forgive someone, ask God to help you see them through the eyes of His love instead of through the filter of pain or hurt.

Forgiveness is hard and has to be done often but it is always worth it!

Colossians 3:13 NLT Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

Ephesians 3:17-19 NLT Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

My hope is you are encouraged by these five truths and these Bible scriptures on encouraging yourself. If you are feeling alone and need a gentle touch, I pray the Holy Spirit embraces you with His grace and unfailing love.

Much like my swim instructor, God provides redemption and guides us back to the safety of His presence.

A prayer from Colossians:

Colossians 3:16 NLT Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.

BIO

Mary Rooney Armand is an Author, Speaker, and Creator of the faith-based blog ButterflyLiving.org. Her writing is also featured on multiple Christian websites. Mary is the author of, “Identity, Understanding, and Accepting Who I Am in Christ” and, “Life Changing Stories” a collaboration with 34 authors sharing stories of God’s faithfulness.

Besides writing, Mary leads small groups and speaks at retreats. She directed Kids Hope USA, a mentoring program for children, worked in marketing and sales, and has led mission trips to Honduras. Mary is a life coach with a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and an MBA. She and her wonderful husband Cory live in New Orleans and are the parents of four children, a new daughter-in-law, and two dogs! 

To receive encouragement in your inbox and five pages of Mary’s Bible Study, “Identity: Understanding and Accepting Who I am in Christ” visit,

More places to read ButterflyLiving’s stories about a transformed life in Christ, visit Mary on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and ButterflyLiving.