Welcome to the Determined to Dance podcast with your host, Jennifer Hallmark. Today’s episode, Encouragement: Starting Within, examines how vital self-encouragement is to our dance with God.

Are you ready? The world would have us march to its chaotic beat but God invites us to dance in His will and His way. Let’s take a moment to be energized, refreshed, and motivated to face the day, one spin and twirl at a time.

Show notes: Encouragement: Starting Within

A Bible story that resonated with me long ago is found in I Samuel 30. David, the son of Jesse, has been anointed king of Israel by the prophet, Samuel. But the reigning king, Saul, drove him out of Israel and David is now living in enemy territory. He took his fighting men and went to offer his allegiance to the enemy but is rejected. When he and his men return home, their small town has been invaded, their families and belongings stolen. His men turn on David in their grief. Now, folks, that’s beyond a bad day at the office. David’s been rejected, robbed, and renounced during a short period of time.

After all this, verse 6 says: “Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.” I Samuel 30:6 NKJV

What a great example. Here’s a man who had basically lost everything: home, family, friends, and possessions. I think I would have been tempted to run for my life in deep depression. I mean, how do you go dance in God’s will and way when the room is pitch black?

First, strengthen yourself. When you encourage yourself, you’re giving hope, confidence, and support. Hope in the fact you’ve been through tough times before, confidence that there’s nothing new under the sun, and support through positive words and thoughts.

Second and to me, most important, you do this in the Lord. Your hope is in who He is and what He’s already done for you, your confidence is in His power and love and your support comes through His word and prayer.

Depending on your own strength will only take you so far. And can I testify to that fact. Often, I lean on my own strength. Wouldn’t want to bother God with my problems, which most assuredly look tiny in His eyes. He has enough to worry about with all the chaos in the world. So, I roll up my sleeves and push ahead, going for all its worth until…

I run out of energy. Ability. Strength.

During the months of July and August, I was busier than usual. Birthday celebrations, doctor visits, babysitting, and extra writing work had pushed me to my limits. In the midst of it all, the housework somehow got shuffled to the end of the to-do list, then dropped entirely. My writing suffered as I don’t work too well amongst the clutter. I was overwhelmed.

After I tried everything else, I stopped and asked God for help. (Yes, I know, I should’ve done that first but I don’t always take my own advice) A day or so later, I suddenly knew what I needed to do. Ask Mom for help. She’s good at cleaning but I mean, she is 80. The thought was ‘just ask her to dust and clean the mirrors.’ Not too hard a job.

And what I found was with her at my house doing her part, I felt my strength renewed to do my part. I no longer felt alone and overwhelmed. Together, we’d got the job done. God had provided an answer.

In the future, I need to remember three things when life gets tough:

Encourage myself in the Lord. Go first to Him, humble myself, and ask for help.
Be open to his answer. His thoughts and ways are above mine. He might point out a path I hadn’t noticed before.
Be willing to humble myself and obey. I need to let go of my need to control and follow Him.

The keyword is humble. Why do I often act like a toddler when discouragement attacks and I need to be encouraged? I think of children and that age-old phrase, “I can do it myself.