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Oops! Was God’s Word of Encouragement Sent to Your Spam Folder?

Oops! Was God’s Word of Encouragement Sent to Your Spam Folder?

We’ve all been there. You’re waiting for an important email, you’ve checked your inbox obsessively, refreshed it a dozen times, and still, nothing. Then, on a whim, you glance at the dreaded Spam folder, and there it is—misfiled, buried beneath promises of quick riches and dubious offers.

What if God’s word of encouragement—the one you desperately need, the one your soul is starving for—has been sent to your spiritual Spam folder?

We live in a noisy world; notifications ping, deadlines loom, and life moves at an erratic, relentless pace. Amid the chaos, it’s easy to miss the gentle whisper of God’s voice. Like Elijah on Mount Horeb, we may expect the earthquake or the fire, but just as you think you have Him figured out, God speaks in the stillness (1 Kings 19:11–13). Then, instead of tuning into His voice, we fill our hearts with noise, activity, and 'important' BlueSky or Facebook clickbait, drowning out the one message that matters most.

How do we ensure God’s word of encouragement—that word that strengthens, brings hope, direction, or promise—doesn’t end up overlooked, discarded, or buried under a mountain of lesser things? Let’s explore this together.

Check the Source
First, let’s talk about trust. When you open an email, the first thing you do is check the sender. Is it someone you recognise? Someone trustworthy? In the same way, discerning the voice of God begins with recognising the Sender. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). But how can we know His voice if we’re not familiar with it?

The Word of God is the ultimate filter. His Scriptures are the plumb line, the unchanging standard against which every message is measured. If a thought, impression, or idea doesn’t align with His revealed truth, it’s not from Him. God doesn’t contradict Himself. He’s not sending you mixed messages. He’s consistent, faithful, and true.

But here’s the catch—you’ve got to know His Word. If your Bible’s collecting dust or only gets opened on Sundays, you’re likely to confuse the noise of the world with the voice of the Spirit. The more time you spend soaking in Scripture, the more clearly you’ll recognise His voice when He speaks. It’s like learning the melody of a song—once it’s in your heart, you can’t unhear it. The days of someone reading 10 or more chapters of the Bible a day are rare—some people struggle with 10 verses! I encourage you to read your Bible like few people in the nation do—don’t let the word of the Lord be rare in your heart.

Declutter Your Inbox
Clutter can be a beast! Your inbox gets filled with things you don’t need—promotions, updates, random subscriptions you don’t even remember signing up for. If you’re not intentional, your spiritual inbox gets just as cluttered. Worries, distractions, and temptations all pile up until you can’t see what matters anymore. Then they are all moved to a folder called “procrastination”—but that usually takes a while to action.

In context for us, Jesus said it bluntly: “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but ONE thing is necessary” (Luke 10:41–42). Mary got it. She sat at Jesus’ feet and soaked in His words, while Martha rushed around, overwhelmed by her to-do list.

Your soul was not designed to carry everything—some things just need to go. Decluttering your spiritual inbox might mean cutting out distractions—turning off your phone, saying no to one more commitment, or creating space for stillness. Silence can be challenging, but it’s in the quiet that God often speaks.

Trust the Timing
God’s encouragement doesn’t always come when or how we expect. Sometimes, we’re looking for fireworks, but God sends a quiet nudge. We’re waiting for the dramatic, but God whispers, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). We want instant results, but, as you guessed, God operates on His timetable, not ours.

Think about the Israelites wandering in the wilderness. Every morning, God provided manna—just enough for the day. No stockpiling or hoarding, just trust. When Jesus taught us to pray, He didn’t say, “Give us this day our yearly bread,” but “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). It’s as if He works incrementally in our hearts and lives. It requires a posture of dependence—a willingness to wait, listen, and trust that He knows what we need, when we need it.

Look in the Right Places
Sometimes, we miss God’s encouragement because we’re looking for it in the wrong places. We expect it in the big moments—the miraculous healing, the unexpected breakthrough, the thunderous declaration. We easily grow weary waiting for the big moment, but God often speaks in the ordinary.

God speaks through the kindness of a friend, the brilliant scenery of creation, the stillness of a quiet morning. He speaks through the church, through worship, through what happens (or doesn’t), through that verse you’ve read a hundred times but suddenly see in a new light. The heavens declare His glory (Psalm 19:1). His Spirit is always at work. The question is: are you looking, watching, or paying attention?

Keep the Connection Alive
Spam folders don’t empty themselves. It takes intentionality to go in, sort through the clutter, and rescue what’s valuable. It’s inconvenient and a bit of a pain. Clearly, it takes just as much intentionality to keep your connection with God alive.

Prayer also isn’t a monologue; it’s a dialogue. It’s not just about asking—it’s about listening. Not just with your ears, but with your heart. It’s about creating space for God to speak, and then responding with faith and obedience when He does.

When you’re connected to God—when you’re abiding in Him—His words of encouragement won’t feel like occasional emails. They’ll feel like a constant stream, a river of life flowing through your soul.

The Gospel at the Heart of It
At the end of the day, the ultimate word of encouragement has already been spoken—and I guess you’ve heard it. It’s the gospel: the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

It’s also the declaration that if you are in Christ you are loved, forgiven, redeemed, and made new. In fact, that’s the word God is speaking over you every single day, and it’s a message that should never, ever end up in your Spam folder.

So, check the source, declutter your inbox, trust the timing, and look in the right places. Keep the connection alive because the God who spoke the universe into existence is speaking to you, right here, right now.

I hope you’re listening.