…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 even Jesus had to deal with the sorrow of watching people destroy
themselves, reject God, and reject His truth. Simply put…we all need
encouragement
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 some help...a little
motivation to do what we know is right, to stand up for what we believe, or 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. If you think for a moment, you will find 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 who cared for 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.
The
gift of encouragement is one of the most beautiful gifts in the world. When someone encourages you, that person helps
you over a threshold you might otherwise never have crossed on your own. 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 encourages
us to encourage one another.
To
encourage is to inspire another with
courage. There are days that are
difficult to face because we know there will be obstacles throughout the
day. A word from someone who believes in
us and knows our strengths brings energy to fight through the difficult times.
Hebrews 3:13 speaks of the
need to make a habit of encouragement. But encourage
one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so
that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. The word “encourage” 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. We must
encourage even if others do not reciprocate.
Note
that we are to “encourage
one another”. It is not
uncommon to find our own lives encouraged as we encourage others. The very words we use cause us to look upon
our own lives from a more positive direction.
It also, however, works in reverse.
Speaking words of discouragement discourages us!
Someone
wrote, “People live by encouragement. Without
it they die. Slowly... Sadly... Bitterly.”
It’s a fact that we need encouragement and that those around us need it
as well. Be an encourager today. Your words can change a life.
Scripture to Claim:
Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just
as you also are doing.
(1 Thessalonians 5:11)
(1 Thessalonians 5:11)
