Encourage One Another

I received a call this week from someone seeking advice with a challenging situation. In my human nature, I wanted to join in. But i listened intently and encouraged them to openly discuss what was theirs to concern themselves with, but leave the rest to others - including God. Prayerful consideration for what is ours to own was some good encouragement for them and for me.

My friend told me about struggling in her marriage after I was vulnerable about my divorce. I was so moved by her own vulnerability that I sent her a book that really brought me close to my husband now and God and sent it to her along with some encouragement about how I love how she uses her talent and getting to serve with her! I’m so excited to get coffee and talk about it and continue praying, so encouraging to be in honest fellowship!

If you study history and look at the lives of the twelve disciples after Jesus’s ascension, we see that most of them died defending the Gospel and their belief in Jesus Christ. Rarely did any of the disciples die of old age, unfortunately. The Gospel and the hope of Jesus was something they were willing to die for so that others could hear the good news and receive the salvation that only Jesus offers. If you also look at the letters that Paul wrote to the early Church and his friends like Timothy and Titus in the New Testament, you will see that encouragement was a consistent part of his letters. While there were definitely times of instruction and correction, we see that Paul knew the value of encouragement and how much the Church and his friends would need it in such a hostile world towards Christians.  As believers in Jesus Christ, we need to be a united community who has one another's back, who builds one another up, who pray, and who hold firmly to the Word of God, because we are getting closer to the home stretch with every passing day. We want to be the body of Christ, and body of Christ that rejoices with those who rejoice and mourns with those who mourn. We want to be a source of encouragement where we pour encouragement into others and give hope to them. When times are tough, we need to keep our eyes on the Author and the Perfecter of our faith, Jesus Christ. And let's pass that encouragement that we have received onto others to encourage them! Discussion/Reflection Question: How does the example of disciples and Paul encourage you today?

In today’s society, it feels as though the heat is slowly being turned up on Bible-believing Christians. If ever there was a time when we need to encourage one another, it's now. And if your goal is, like the apostle Paul, to share Christ with as many people as possible, there has never been a better time to be alive because so many people are lost and need the hope of Jesus and Heaven. As this world has become increasingly dark, the hope of the Gospel shines that much more brightly.  Hebrews 10:25 states: “…not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Jesus is coming again, make no mistake. And each day we are moving closer to that event. While none of us know the day, year, or time that Jesus will return, we can be confident that it will happen in the future because of what we know from Scripture. As times get harder and the world seems more negative and unbelieving, we need to encourage and support one another as Christ followers more than ever. It can be tempting sometimes to give up hope or think the enemy is winning when we face difficult struggles or seasons, so surround yourself with encouragers who can speak truth into your heart during the hardest times.  Discussion/Reflection Question: How does the hope of Jesus’s return encourage you?

Life here on earth can be so difficult and challenging at different times and seasons. We each battle and struggle with our own sins in own ways and need one another to get through the hard times in life. There are some pains and struggles we experience that will, unfortunately, never be understood on this side of Heaven. Even the strong encouragement of a family or friend can be hard to hear or accept when an unexpected and unexplainable tragedy has occurred. However, Scripture tells us in 1 Thessalonians 4:13 that “...so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.” No matter what the enemy or life throws at us, if we have put our hope and faith in Jesus Christ, our hope of Heaven cannot ever be taken away. Encouraging another Christian to continue their walk with the hope and reality of Heaven can drastically change the way that they approach or view a particular circumstance or situation. Throughout the New Testament, Paul encourages his readers by talking about the hope that they have in Heaven and the hope they have of being reunited with their friends and family, several of whom had been martyred for their faith in Jesus. Trials and pains of this world that we experience due our belief and faith in Jesus are of no consequence when compared to the glory and beauty that we will experience someday in Heaven; whether when we pass away or when Jesus returns for the second coming. Discussion/Reflection Question: Who in your life needs to be reminded of the hope we have in Heaven?

Sin thrives when kept in the dark and kept a secret from the rest of the world. God created us to lean on one another and hold each other accountable for the things we struggle with. One of the best ways you can help a family or friend who is having a difficult time with sin is by encouraging them. Reminding others of who they are, who God created them to be, and how good how God is, can give them the courage to avoid the temptations and sins that they might be having a hard time with. When you are armed with the truth found in Scripture of who God is and that you are a child of the King, it is easier to recognize the lies of the enemy that he whispers to tempt you into sinning.  We all know some people, when it comes to encouragement, it’s very natural for them. But for others, it can feel difficult or awkward. When we get in the daily habit of encouraging others, we will all improve and it will be more second-nature for us. Our physical bodies need air to breathe. We need food for fuel. We need water to hydrate our systems in the same way. Our emotions require encouragement. And when we receive it, we thrive. When deprived of it, we shrivel up and part of us dies. Discouragement is like a demolition project, and encouragement is like a construction project. Which one do you want to be a part of?  Discussion/Reflection Question: When has someone else’s encouragement helped you avoid the temptation to sin?