How To Keep Encouraged Here in East Ohio we are still celebrating the World Championship the Cleveland Cavaliers won against the Golden State Warriors. Not only did the Cavs win, but they did something no other NBA team has ever done in the finals. They were losing three games to one and came back to win the title. Like I said, no other team has EVER accomplished this in the Finals! At the victory rally in downtown Cleveland, Dan Gilbert, the owner of the Cavs, shared a behind the scenes story when the team was at its lowest point. They had just lost game four in Cleveland. Their only hope was to win the last three games. Again, no team had ever done this when they were down 3-1 in the NBA finals. All the media and sports experts were saying the series was as good as over and the Warriors would soon be champs. Every talk show was already lamenting one more heartbreak for Cleveland. David Griffith is the general manager of the Cavs and after that terrible defeat in game 4 he sent an email to all the players and personnel. Here is part of the message that Dan Gilbert, the owner, read during the victory rally. It's a small section of a longer email. "I think all of this will mark the weight for our game five victory in Oakland followed by a game six win at home. Our ultimate triumph will be in an epic game seven in Oakland...more reality to you than a dream. This Is Going To Happen!" This message gave hope, courage, and belief to a team that everyone else said was already defeated. While David Griffith was a tremendous encouragement to the team and organization, I ask the question, "Who encouraged Griffith?" The answer is that he encouraged himself! Great leaders must be able to keep themselves encouraged if they are going to influence others. Using Griffith as an example, let me share something he was able to do to keep himself encouraged. He silenced the noise of defeat. Every sportscaster, every newspaper, every blog, everyone who has an opinion said the Cavs were going to lose. The noise of defeat was deafening! But Griffith turned it off. The same applies to us. There are certain noises that we must recognize and ignore if we want to keep ourselves encouraged. These noises will poison our attitudes, shape our outlook in a negative way and discourage people around us. Here's what some of that noise sounds like: "What's wrong with our world?" Some are quick to point out all the problems in our world. They also point out what's wrong with our church, our family, our community, and everything else they can see. They seem to have a skill in identifying the negative. Personally, I have quit asking the question, "What's wrong with this," and replaced it with "What's right about it?" Focusing on what's right gives me a place to begin to build. It gives hope. It raises my spirit and encourages me. Seldom if ever is a situation totally broken or completely correct. Begin to ask what is right with things and you will begin to encourage yourself. "Fire the inner critic." There are people who have made a good living being a critic. News channels have analysts that break down current events. Whether you lean to the right or left, there is someone to help you decipher what is happening. Years ago I stopped listening to talk radio...not for any political reason but for the health of my attitude. I found myself always being critical and analyzing every situation, statement and event. I could instantly give you a critique of why something was wrong and how it missed the mark. To be very honest, when I did that it made me feel smarter and superior...for about a minute. Then I felt kind of slimy. It didn't encourage me to always be a critic. Being in "critic mode" reminds me of what Proverbs says about a quarrelsome wife. "She is a constant dripping." This applies to anyone who is always pick-pick-picking! If you want a wake up call, go to your social media pages and read your own posts. Chart them. What percentage of your posts are critical, pointing out other's shortcomings, or commenting negatively about situations? Fire that inner critic and you'll be amazed at how you stay encouraged. "Give others a break." Whenever something negative happens, it's interesting how we respond to these events. If we were the source of the failure, we often attribute the failure to a result of circumstances. For instance, "I was so busy I just forgot." "I didn't have time to think things completely through, but I had to make a decision." "I remembered you telling me that's what you wanted." In other words, when we make a mistake we believe it's an honest mistake and we want others to see things the same way. However, when someone else drops the ball or fails, we quickly attribute the failures to their intent. We say, "They are just lazy." "They are selfish." "They are mean, deceitful, arrogant," or use any other negative character trait. Again, when something wrong happens, we believe we meant well but circumstances got in the way. But about others we believe they had bad intentions and wrong motives. Do you see the difference between how we treat ourselves and others? As a young pastor, my DS said to me, "Dave, forgive one time too many. Give more grace than you should. Always give the benefit of the doubt. Believe the best in people not the worst." I took these words to heart and let them shape how I saw other people. I found I was less irritated at others, I was less discouraged, I was more positive, and I had more hope. Be more gracious towards others and you will keep yourself encouraged. Leaders, keep yourself encouraged! Our churches and our world need the hope of Jesus Christ! The enemy wants to discourage us but "Greater is He who is in you, than he that is in the world."
Blessings,
Dave Lutz
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