As we step into a new year, it feels as though the world itself is holding its breath. America — and much of the world — feels like a powder keg of conflict, ready to ignite at the next slightest spark. Conversations escalate quickly. Differences harden into conflict. And people increasingly brace themselves for attack rather than connection.
We are deeply polarized — not only in our views, but in how we treat one another.
In moments like these, hope and encouragement are not optional…they are essential. But they must be discerned, relational, and Spirit-led.
A Christmas Lesson in Discernment
During the Christmas season, I set a simple goal: to wish everyone I encountered a very merry Christmas. Cashiers, strangers passing by, people in parking lots — no agenda other than hoping to pass along a little Christmas cheer.
Many responded warmly. But I found myself especially drawn to those who didn’t.
Some seemed lonely — withdrawn, unseen, moving quietly through the world.
Some appeared burdened — weighed down by grief, stress, or exhaustion.
Others felt almost angry — guarded, tense, closed off.
For some, even a simple greeting felt heavy. Why, I wondered?
I was intentional about living-connected and being others-focused (Step One), and Instead of feeling dismissed or rejected from the unreciprocated cheer, I felt compassion. I began to wonder what story might be shaping their response. Loneliness? Fear? Anger? Loss?
I was genuinely interested in why this moment felt hard for them. So, after offering a greeting and receiving back a dirty look or being ignored, I would slow myself down — pausing, waiting, leaving space for a connecting response. Not to force conversation, but to invite it. If a door opened, I wanted to be ready to listen, to ask gentle questions, and connect with their story.
Responding According to the Need
I found myself quietly stepping through the first four Live-Connected steps, allowing the Fruit of the Spirit to guide me on how to connect with some hope and encouragement if the door opened.
1. Be Others-Focused & Available
I reminded myself this wasn’t about my greeting being returned. It was about them. That shift opened the door to compassion instead of offense.
2. Be Present & Listen
Even without words, I paid attention — to body language, facial expressions, and emotional tone. Presence mattered more than persistence.
3. Be Curious & Interested
I wondered what story they might be carrying. That curiosity kept me from labeling or reacting.
4. Communicate Encouragement
But here’s what became clear: encouragement doesn’t look the same for everyone.
- To the lonely, encouragement looks like kindness and warmth.
- To the burdened, encouragement looks like gentleness and patience.
- To the angry, encouragement looks like peace, self-control, and restraint.
The Fruit of the Spirit refers to nine godly characteristics—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—that naturally develop when the Holy Spirit works within them (Galatians 5:22–23), allowing my encouragement to be responsive rather than reactive — offered according to their need, not my impulse.
When Joy Once Felt Out of Reach
There were seasons in my own life when encountering joyful, smiling people didn’t lift my spirit. At best, it felt irritating. At worst, it magnified the painful reality I was already struggling to carry. Their cheerfulness didn’t meet me where I was — it reminded me of where I longed to be but couldn’t reach.
When a person is weighed down by loneliness, fear, or loss, another’s happiness can feel less like encouragement and more like distance. That gap often shows up as sadness, withdrawal, or even anger — not because something is wrong with them, but because I was hurting so deeply.
What looks like disconnection is often a quiet call for help.
What helped me endure those seasons wasn’t forced positivity or cheerful words. It was the encouragement I found through people who responded to me with the Fruit of the Spirit — that gave me Hope. When I could find even a small measure of meaningful connection, I could make it through the day.
Hope and Encouragement Expressed Through the Fruit of the Spirit
This is why communicating hope and encouragement is not about saying the right thing. It’s about responding with the right spirit — especially in divided and volatile times.
- Love – keeps people human, not ideological
- Peace – lowers the temperature in tense spaces
- Patience – gives room for pain and process
- Kindness – reaches where arguments never will
- Gentleness – protects dignity
- Self-control – refuses to mirror hostility
This kind of connecting doesn’t deny painful realities, but it can bring hope, encouragement, and even good cheer to those in it.
A Defining Response for the New Year
If the world feels volatile and reactive, those who live by the Spirit are called to be steady, responding in love, encouragement, and hope.
If discouragement is everywhere, then hope must be embodied, not just spoken.
This year, may we live Live-Connected — noticing hurting or angry people, responding according to their need, and communicating hope and encouragement through the Fruit of the Spirit.
Because hope doesn’t shout. It shows up, and it often arrives disguised as gentleness and encouragement, bringing HOPE!
For the next 9 months, I will attempt to illustrate, through a series of blogs, how integrating the Fruit of the Spirit into the 6 Steps of Living-Connected can give Hope and change lives! Stay Tuned!