4 For whatsoever things were written
aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and
comfort of the scriptures might have hope. 5 Now
the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward
another according to Christ Jesus: 6 That
ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ. –Romans 15:4-6 (KJV)
A large part of my ministry is devoted to
encouraging people. This is one reason why I devote such time
and energy to this blog. I also am frequently involved in face-to-face
situations with people who are struggling with all the challenges of
life. Life is difficult and continues to be even more so.
We need all the encouragement we can get. God has given us His
Word so we might find encouragement in our time of need, which is pretty
much every day. As life seeks to drag us down the Lord is there
to lift us up. This is where it becomes important that we be the
vessels God intends to help those around us who are struggling. You
might wonder if we are reaching out and helping other people in their
struggles, then who will help us? Good question.
We have the Holy Spirit, the Word of God,
prayer, and the fellowship of the church. All of these work together
for our strengthening and ongoing encouragement. I have to wonder,
however, how effective we as followers of Christ are doing with the
task of encouraging others. I fear the church is sometimes like
an old joke I recall hearing many years ago. A man said that a person
on the street walked up to him and said, “Sir, I haven’t had a bite
in three days.” So, the man bit him! God forbid that we
respond to the needs of those around us with anything other than love,
grace, compassion, mercy, and encouragement. For too long Christians
have been accused of being uncaring and out of touch. We have
the opportunity to change this negative perception.
Perhaps you are going through a difficult
time right now. I have no way of knowing what sort of struggles
you are facing, but I can hazard a guess. Your struggles might
involve marital problems, financial troubles, a wayward son or daughter,
depression, anxiety issues, health problems, or a case of the blues.
Maybe you feel the weight of one or more of those issues even as you
read this. Let me encourage you today with the reminder that the
Lord loves and cares for you. Christ understands how we feel because
He has walked in our shoes. Do not give up, but be strengthened
by the presence of Christ in the midst of your troubles. God is
able to bring you through to victory.
God’s Word promises that what was written
therein was given for our comfort, encouragement, and hope. As
we walk in the spiritual strength the Lord provides, we are encouraged
and able to offer encouragement to others. You are stronger than
you realize because you have the power of Christ indwelling you and
empowering you to rich and vibrant faith, which leads to blessed hope.
Be encouraged and walk forward in faith encouraging
others. Shine the light of Jesus toward lost and troubled people.
They will be blessed, and so will you.
God bless you today.
