5-Day Daily Devotional
Becoming an Encourager
(Week of November 30, 2025)
(Week of November 30, 2025)
Day 1: The Ministry of Encouragement
Reading: Acts 4:32-37
Devotional:
Barnabas earned the nickname "son of encouragement" not through words alone, but through sacrificial action. He saw the needs of struggling believers and responded with generosity, selling his property to meet those needs. True encouragement goes beyond compliments—it requires us to see needs and address them. You may not have financial resources, but you possess something valuable: your time, presence, and words. Sick people need concern. Lonely people need companionship. Hurting people need a touch. Discouraged people need hope. Mark Twain said he could live two months on one good compliment. Today, ask God to open your eyes to someone who needs encouragement, then act on what you see.
Day 2: Breaking Down Barriers
Reading: Acts 9:26-31
Devotional:
When everyone rejected Paul because of his past, Barnabas stood alone as his advocate. He didn't focus on what Paul had been—a persecutor and murderer of Christians. Instead, he saw what Paul could become in Christ. Encouragers don't rehearse people's failures; they champion their potential. How often do we disqualify people based on their history rather than their possibility? God specializes in transformation. He looked at you not for what you were, but for what you could become. When you encounter someone with a troubled past seeking redemption, will you be the Barnabas who builds bridges instead of barriers? Your acceptance might unlock someone's destiny and purpose in God's kingdom.
Day 3: Seeing Potential Over Problems
Reading: Acts 15:36-41; 2 Timothy 4:11
Devotional:
John Mark quit during a missionary journey, and Paul wrote him off completely. But Barnabas saw beyond the failure to the potential. He invested in Mark when others abandoned him, and that investment produced the Gospel of Mark and eventually restored Mark to Paul's ministry. Encouragers see potential where others see only problems. Many people suffer from constant criticism, always reminded of their mistakes. What they desperately need is someone who believes in them. Charles Schwab observed that people do better work under approval than criticism. Who in your life needs you to believe in them? Perhaps a struggling family member, a wayward friend, or a discouraged coworker? Your faith in their potential could transform their future.
Day 4: The Power of Faithful Gratitude
Reading: Malachi 3:8-12
Devotional:
Faithfulness flows from gratitude. When we recognize God's goodness, our natural response is obedience and generosity. The sermon emphasized staying faithful because God stays faithful—bringing tithes not as obligation but as grateful response. God promises to open heaven's windows and pour out blessings when we honor Him with our resources. But this principle extends beyond finances. Faithfulness in prayer, service, relationships, and witness all stem from grateful hearts. When you focus on what God has done, staying committed becomes easier. Reflect today on specific ways God has been good to you. Let that gratitude fuel your faithfulness. Remember, you cannot out-give God, and He rewards those who diligently seek Him with consistency and grateful hearts.
Day 5: Encouraging Yourself in the Lord
Reading: 1 Samuel 30:6; Psalm 42:5-11
Devotional:
Before you can effectively encourage others, you must learn to encourage yourself. David strengthened himself in the Lord when everyone else was ready to stone him. Sometimes you must speak victory during the test, declare healing when you feel sick, and proclaim hope when circumstances look hopeless. This is not denial—it is faith. Speaking God's Word over your situation activates divine power. The psalmist asked, "Why are you downcast, O my soul?" then commanded his soul to hope in God. You have authority over your own spirit. When discouragement comes, turn off the noise, get alone with God, and remind yourself of His faithfulness. Speak Scripture over your life. Encourage yourself first, then you will have strength to encourage others in their journey.
Prayer For The Week:
Lord, make me an encourager like Barnabas. Help me see potential instead of problems, build bridges instead of barriers, and bring blessings to others. Teach me to stay faithful because I am grateful. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Reading: Acts 4:32-37
Devotional:
Barnabas earned the nickname "son of encouragement" not through words alone, but through sacrificial action. He saw the needs of struggling believers and responded with generosity, selling his property to meet those needs. True encouragement goes beyond compliments—it requires us to see needs and address them. You may not have financial resources, but you possess something valuable: your time, presence, and words. Sick people need concern. Lonely people need companionship. Hurting people need a touch. Discouraged people need hope. Mark Twain said he could live two months on one good compliment. Today, ask God to open your eyes to someone who needs encouragement, then act on what you see.
Day 2: Breaking Down Barriers
Reading: Acts 9:26-31
Devotional:
When everyone rejected Paul because of his past, Barnabas stood alone as his advocate. He didn't focus on what Paul had been—a persecutor and murderer of Christians. Instead, he saw what Paul could become in Christ. Encouragers don't rehearse people's failures; they champion their potential. How often do we disqualify people based on their history rather than their possibility? God specializes in transformation. He looked at you not for what you were, but for what you could become. When you encounter someone with a troubled past seeking redemption, will you be the Barnabas who builds bridges instead of barriers? Your acceptance might unlock someone's destiny and purpose in God's kingdom.
Day 3: Seeing Potential Over Problems
Reading: Acts 15:36-41; 2 Timothy 4:11
Devotional:
John Mark quit during a missionary journey, and Paul wrote him off completely. But Barnabas saw beyond the failure to the potential. He invested in Mark when others abandoned him, and that investment produced the Gospel of Mark and eventually restored Mark to Paul's ministry. Encouragers see potential where others see only problems. Many people suffer from constant criticism, always reminded of their mistakes. What they desperately need is someone who believes in them. Charles Schwab observed that people do better work under approval than criticism. Who in your life needs you to believe in them? Perhaps a struggling family member, a wayward friend, or a discouraged coworker? Your faith in their potential could transform their future.
Day 4: The Power of Faithful Gratitude
Reading: Malachi 3:8-12
Devotional:
Faithfulness flows from gratitude. When we recognize God's goodness, our natural response is obedience and generosity. The sermon emphasized staying faithful because God stays faithful—bringing tithes not as obligation but as grateful response. God promises to open heaven's windows and pour out blessings when we honor Him with our resources. But this principle extends beyond finances. Faithfulness in prayer, service, relationships, and witness all stem from grateful hearts. When you focus on what God has done, staying committed becomes easier. Reflect today on specific ways God has been good to you. Let that gratitude fuel your faithfulness. Remember, you cannot out-give God, and He rewards those who diligently seek Him with consistency and grateful hearts.
Day 5: Encouraging Yourself in the Lord
Reading: 1 Samuel 30:6; Psalm 42:5-11
Devotional:
Before you can effectively encourage others, you must learn to encourage yourself. David strengthened himself in the Lord when everyone else was ready to stone him. Sometimes you must speak victory during the test, declare healing when you feel sick, and proclaim hope when circumstances look hopeless. This is not denial—it is faith. Speaking God's Word over your situation activates divine power. The psalmist asked, "Why are you downcast, O my soul?" then commanded his soul to hope in God. You have authority over your own spirit. When discouragement comes, turn off the noise, get alone with God, and remind yourself of His faithfulness. Speak Scripture over your life. Encourage yourself first, then you will have strength to encourage others in their journey.
Prayer For The Week:
Lord, make me an encourager like Barnabas. Help me see potential instead of problems, build bridges instead of barriers, and bring blessings to others. Teach me to stay faithful because I am grateful. In Jesus' name, Amen.