Encouragement

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

A popular topic of conversation I've been hearing among believers recently is encouragement. I've asked and I have heard many others ask some of these questions: What is it exactly? How do we encourage? and many others. So I decided to study up on it in Scripture and it turns out the book I am reading by Francis Chan right now Forgotten God addresses many of these same questions.

I know this seems kind of obvious, but I think it's important to understand that the word courage is in the word encourage. The prefix -en means to put in to instill courage into somebody. So the whole point of encouragement is not to compliment someone or to make them feel better about themselves, but to instill within them courage. Courage to walk closer with the Lord. Courage to overcome trials and suffering in their life with joy. This true definition of encouragement is stated pretty clearly in Hebrews.

Hebrews 10:24-25

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

A lot of times we hear this verse as a reminded that we need to go to church, but that is not the main point of the verse. The main point is to encourage, to stir up one another to love and good works. What good is church or fellowship if we aren't participating in this? Are we even gathered in His name if we aren't focusing on Christ and encouraging one another to be more like him? When we meet for church and fellowship we should be considering the first part of this verse. We should be considering how to stir up one another.

So how do we stir up one another?

Romans 1:12

that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine.

We are encouraged by the faith of others. One of the most encouraging moments for me in the past week was at life group on Thursday night when people just started asking questions about what they were struggling with and as a community we talked about them. I was greatly encouraged by the faith of these men and they didn't even know it. I feel like a lot of times we want to know how and when we are encouraging others so that we can boost our ego, but that's pride. The Lord knows and our Father who sees in secret will reward us. Jesus repeats that same phrase several times during the Sermon on the Mount. We don't need to be consumed with knowing how and when we are being encouraging, but rather we need to be consumed by the love of Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

When the love of Christ controls us that is encouraging. I've been reading Forgotten God lately and at the end of every chapter there is a short biography of people that are consumed with Christ's love and quite clearly controlled by it. It's so encouraging and uplifting to see the faith of others and to know that their God is my God. That He is alive. That He is faithful. That He loves us.

Not only are we encouraged by the good works of others, but their suffering and struggling for our sake.

Colossians 2:1-3

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

It is so encouraging to hear about other people struggling for us, because it reflects Christ. It imitates Christ. It demonstrates to us the love of Christ. Giving yourself for others. It's beautiful and it is powerful. We cannot deny the Spirit working within someone when we see and hear of the suffering they are enduring for the sake of the gospel. It's contagious. It makes us want more of Christ and it instills within us a boldness.

The most encouraging thing to me though is continually remembering that the Spirit dwells within me.

Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

This verse gets taken out of context a lot, and it's a shame because it's so powerful. The Spirit is within us. Christ is alive he didn't just die. He rose from the dead. And it is through him we are strengthened. Not physically, but spiritually and eternally. Isn't that what matters? Our God can raise the dead. Our God can part the sea. Our God can do anything and through him so can we.

Philippians 4:12

I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.

Christ is all that matters. It is through the realization of this and understanding that his Spirit dwells within us that we are able to do anything through him. We need to hold on to this truth that our God is all powerful. We need to remind others and ourselves of this truth frequently, because we forget. Just like the story of Joshua and Caleb in Numbers we need to be like them. Remembering that our God can do anything and encouraging one another of the same. Not falling into the same snare the other ten did resulting in death. The faith of Joshua and Caleb is so encouraging. They had the faith and boldness to stand firm. They didn't diminish the power of God. Let's follow their example and hold on to the fact that our God can do anything.

Our God is alive let's live like it.