Considering Encouragement

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. Hebrews 10:23-25

While the joy of the Lord truly sustains and strengthens us, there are times when we all need encouragement.  This world is hard, especially on Christians.  Elijah, Jonah and Job were at times suicidal.  Paul, Jeremiah, and Jesus Himself, all had to deal with the sorrow of watching people destroy themselves, reject God, and reject His truth.  We all need encouragement.

This look at Christian encouragement is intended to strengthen you and give you hope and help you to become an encourager.  It's not always easy to walk by faith in difficult times.  It's not always easy to obey God as we know we should.  It's not always easy to live according to God’s will for our lives.  Sometimes we need a help...a little motivation to do what we know is right, to stand up for what we believe, and to spread His Word throughout the whole world.  We each need to be encouraged.

Encouragement is awesome. It can actually change the course of another person's day, week, or life.  You will find, if you think for a moment, that the people who influence you are the people who believe in you most, who encouraged you.  There are high spots in all of our lives and most of them have come about through the encouragement of someone around us.  I don't care how great, how famous or successful a man or woman may be, each hungers for encouragement.  Correction does much, but encouragement does even more.

One of the most beautiful gifts in the world is the gift of encouragement. When someone encourages you, that person helps you over a threshold you might otherwise never have crossed on your own.  Sometimes they merely remind us of our personal gifts and strengths.  In other times they challenge us to step out of our comfort zone to go for our dream.

At the time of the writing of Hebrews, there was life-threatening persecution. Our tendency during such trying times would be to save our skin or “to each his own”.  But, the book of Hebrews commands us to encourage one another in the midst of difficult times.  

To encourage is to inspire another with courage.

The word “encourage” in this passage is in the present tense.  It indicates a habit or a way of life.  It is also in the active voice.  It means we don’t wait for others to encourage us but we take the initiative.  Accepting the responsibility to speak a word of encouragement causes us to look at people and circumstances with a positive perspective.  Doing so will many times change our attitude as well as the attitude of our brother or sister.  Note that we are to “encourage one another”.  Encouragement breeds encouragement.  As we accept the responsibility to share a word of encouragement we ignite a fire of positive responses.

Look around and see if there is someone you can contact with a word of encouragement.  Doing so can change not only their day, but yours as well.

Scripture to Claim:
And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.   1 Thessalonians 5:14