I’ve been on the phone, and on my knees, a lot lately because I have some friends that are really struggling. Health issues, relationship hurts, financial worries, and just plain stress seem to be epidemics in my little part of the world.

Can you relate? Oh, I bet you can.

I want to help lift them up out of their despair, fear, or disappointment. But, in and of myself, I can’t. That is God’s deal and I know He will.

All I can do is pray and encourage them.

While I was trying to encourage them, it dawned on me… no matter who I am talking to, and no matter what their problem may be, my encouragement seems the same.

Wanna know what it is?

It’s way simple because life is too complicated for encouragement to require an instruction manual!

Get up, fess up, and show up!

Yep, that’s it. So, let me tell you what those mean.

Get up!

Yes, it means exactly what you think it means. Get out of bed!

It’s as simple, and as difficult, as putting your feet on the ground every morning and taking one step forward.

Get out of the habit of laying in your bed, staying in your dread.

If you find yourself just sitting and thinking, get up and take a walk. A weird sort of emotional inertia takes over when we just lay or sit around pondering our problems. But, when we take just one step away from the problem toward a solution, we feel less stuck.

Fess up!

After you get up, fess up. Speak and confess truth.

What truth can you confess?

• “I am God’s workmanship.”
• “God will never leave or forsake me.”
• “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

You get the idea.

We often confess how awful and desperate things are, but confessing positive truths about yourself and your circumstances will help lift you up instead of bring you down.

Show up!

Showing up is often the bravest thing you can do.

This means you just simply do the next right thing. Don’t run and hide. Face what you fear. Feel it so God can heal it.

You may not know exactly what to do once you show up but, maybe you don’t need to do anything…  maybe you just need to be available for God to do something.

I once was told about an artist who painted every single day. When he was asked how he had the inspiration and creativity to maintain such success, he simply said, “I show up and when I do, God does.”

The same applies to us and our problems. If we show up like grownups to face what scares or hurts us, we find that God is already there… ready to inspire and strengthen us.
And, what is the result of getting up, fessing up, and showing up?

You will be lifted up!

We can participate in our own encouragement by making some little choices which will have a big impact.

Now, I said it was simple, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy.

If you are discouraged, I know that just getting up can feel like climbing Mt. Everest.

If your head is clouded with fear or sorrow, fessing up can seem as difficult as reciting your phone number from when you were 7 years old… you just draw a blank.

When you are beat up by life, the last thing you feel you can do is show up just to take another punch.

But, my friend, if that describes you — if it all just seems too hard — then my last piece of encouraging advice is this…

Fall down

Yep, just fall down before God and, then, He will be the One who gives you strength to get up. He will remind you of truth so you can fess up. He will guide you to the place you need to show up. He will lift you up.

“It is God who works in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)

I bet there are some dear friends reading this today who need encouragement.

In the comments, will you please leave some encouraging words for our friends to read?