The Blessing and Power of Affirmation

Fresh Manna
by Pastor Tim Burt

Every person goes through times in their life when they struggle with their self-worth, and have concerns about how people view them. 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 accomplish what lies before you. At those times, we all look in the mirror and think, Lord, I so need your help today! Some people have periodic bouts with this but others live consistently with this feeling. This is why affirmation is such a blessed and godly thing.

If you open the eyes of your heart, you will see that God constantly affirms His love to each and every one of 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 were careless about sin! And He lets you know that. Romans 5:8 NLT says “But God showed His GREAT love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” That’s affirmation!

Though it seems like our patience level and our kindness can have a tank that reaches empty with people far too quickly, that’s not true with God. God affirms that His love for you will never run out of gas! Jeremiah 31:3 says “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.”

Though we at times fail people in how we should love them, and though people may not love us the way we want to be loved, God is the Father of all fathers and His love never fails. He counts us as His very children. 1 John 3:1 (NLT2) says, “ See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us His children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know Him.”

Others might not get it, but we are loved by God and are declared as His children! Children have favor with their parents and we have favor with God! Believe it because it’s true!

God will always give us affirmation when we pray and seek Him through His Word but, human affirmation helps us also. What woman doesn’t like to be called pretty? What man or woman doesn’t like and appreciate their value validated? What person doesn’t appreciate affirmation of a job well done?

I can’t overemphasize the importance of purposing to see the good in people and affirming whatever good you can find in them.

All my married years I’ve made sure that I’ve told Renee she is beautiful inside and out. I’ve also continually affirmed my children’s strengths all their life. I believe God has used that to help their confidence and to help them stay motivated. I want them to know the good I see in them. Most importantly I have never stopped affirming 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. Tell me, are you feeling affirmed right now? Doesn’t it feel good?

Affirmation strengthens marriages. Affirmation strengthens relationships. Affirmation strengthens people’s resolve. People aren’t perfect. The devil is always sure to point out their faults and condemn them. He magnifies all of our weaknesses. This is why we all need each other’s love and affirmation! And in saying this, I am not suggesting you offer fake compliments. That isn’t profitable. But what is profitable is looking for the good in them and affirming them in it! You can turn someone’s entire day around with a kind word of affirmation. You can bring a renewed strength to them. That is the power of it. It is a God-thing! God continually affirms His love for you in His Word so let’s do the same! Learn from Him an put it to work in your life and bless someone today. And trust me, in the long run, it will bless you back again and again!

Proverbs 12:25 (NIV) “An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.”

In His love,
Pastor Tim Burt

If Fresh Manna is a blessing to you, I’d love to know. Click here: FreshMannaFeedback

If your heart has been touched by God’s love through Fresh Manna, would you like to help Pastor Tim reach others also? Please prayerfully consider donating. No gift is too small.