A Simple Way to Turn Around Someone’s Day!

Fresh Manna 2009© by Pastor Tim Burt

If you were born on this earth, then you go through times in your life when you struggle with your self-worth or concerns about how people view you. There are times where your confidence level crashes—even when things for the most part are going alright. There are times when you have self-doubts as to whether you can really do what lies before you. When you struggle wondering if you have the ability or intellectual wherewithal to succeed at what you need or want to put your hand to. And then there are those times where we all look in the mirror and think, “Oh boy, you need help today.” Some live in this place and some have periodic bouts with it, but I am convinced that we all have our moments. That is why affirmation is such a blessed and God thing.

God constantly affirms His love to us through His Word. You keep working to get yourself cleaned up so that God will love you, but the truth is He loved you before you paid a nickel’s worth of attention to Him. And He lets you know that. That’s affirmation. Romans 5:8 “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”

Though it seems like our patience level, our grace, and our love can have a tank that reached empty with people, that is not true with God. God affirms that His love for those that love Him will never run out of gas. Jeremiah 31:3 “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.

Though people may not love us the way we want to be loved, God is the dad of all dads. He has counted us as His very children. 1 John 3:1 “See how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for He allows us to be called his children, and we really are! But the people who belong to this world don’t know God, so they don’t understand that we are His children. Others might not get it, but we are loved by God. That’s affirmation.

God will always give us affirmation when we pray and seek Him through His Word, but, human affirmation is nice also. What woman doesn’t like to be called pretty? What man doesn’t like to think he is desirable? What person doesn’t want affirmation that they add value to what they put their hand to?

I can’t over emphasize the importance of seeing the good in people and acknowledging it to them. All my married years I’ve made sure that I told Renee she is beautiful. I believe it’s made her want to work hard at being beautiful not just for herself, but for me. I have affirmed my children’s strengths all their life. I want them to know the good I see in them. Most importantly I have affirmed my love for them. Actually, I try to do this everyone where I go. I do because it is so empowering and people are blessed to be affirmed.

Affirmation strengthens marriages. Affirmation strengthens relationships. Affirmation strengthens people’s resolve. People aren’t perfect. You don’t have to offer fake compliments. That isn’t profitable. But what is profitable is seeing what is good and letting them know. You can turn someone’s entire day around with kind words of affirmation. You can bring a renewed strength to them. That is the power of it. It is what God has put in you. It’s what God continually does for you. Put it to work and bless someone today.

Isaiah 49:15-16 “Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for a child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you! See, I have written your name on my hand…”

In His love,
Pastor Tim