Do you ever struggle with feeling discouraged? Do you ever wonder if you are making a difference and if your efforts even matter? Does it seem like the negatives outweigh the positives? I know I struggle with all of those things more frequently than I’d like to admit.
I’ve found one thing particularly helpful when I find myself wallowing in discouragement and despair. All it takes is a quick glance and I find my outlook and perspective begins to change almost instantaneously.
So what is it? It actually is a digital file folder that I keep. I call it my “Smile File.” I know it is kind of a cheesy name, but this file never fails to make me…well- smile. No it isn’t a collection of jokes or links to funny videos. It actually is a collection of all of the encouraging emails I’ve received over the years. They are emails that speak to exactly the negative emotions I’m feeling. They are stories of how God used me to make a difference in someone’s life. They are testimonies of the impact our church is making.
The tendency when you receive an encouraging note is to read it and then delete it. The crazy thing is we don’t do that with negative emails. We usually keep them and read them and re-read them and fret over every word. We are doing the exact opposite of what we should do. Read and delete the negative and read and SAVE the positive. What would it look like if you didn’t delete the encouraging ones and instead you kept them and placed them in a “Smile File”?
Over time this file will quickly accumulate and just opening that folder will remind you of the tremendous difference you are making. This isn’t meant to be a prideful thing, it is meant to combat the lies that Satan likes to whisper to keep you off your mission and purpose. It is to remind you that God has called you and equipped you to do the good you are working so hard to do. Discouragement will keep you sidelined and out of the game. God isn’t telling you that you are a loser and a screw-up, it’s the enemy. God has big plans for you!
When you get a discouraging email it can feel like everyone is against you. Sometimes the sender even wants you to believe that. A Smile File will remind you that isn’t even close to the truth. There are lots of people who are for you and in your corner.
Similarly, when you get disappointing news it can feel like only bad things are happening to you. A Smile File shows you that there is a lot of good too. Life is never all good or all bad. If you look hard enough you will always find both. You have a choice which you will focus on.
A Smile File Will Show You That:
- You are loved more than you remember
- You are prayed for more than you think
- Very few people are against you
So create a folder in your email right now called “Smile” and instead of deleting the encouragement…save it for a rainy day.
One last thought…when was the last time you added to someone’s Smile File? Why not send someone a note right now that they can keep. The beauty of written affirmation is it is something they can keep and hold onto for years to come.
