As people we are all boggled down with life. We get so busy doing the things that we think are necessary and required. When we are not doing the necessary and required, we begin to do what we desire. Sometimes we fail to realize or just forget that we live in a community of people that need us…and we need them.
Whether we are thinking about our home, family, friends, neighbors, church, online community, or even, dare I say, the world…we all need each other. When individuals spend too much time alone, they begin to experience thoughts that may not be conducive to their “best” life. In the Bible, this loneliness or not having encouragement, led to a disbelief because people started to question the faith that they once had in God.(Hebrews 3) This is the reason why God tells us to exhort one another.
We have to be there, available, ready, and willing to encourage our brothers and sisters in the faith. We have no idea the struggles that they are going through and no one has any idea what we are going through as well. But God…
He is more that aware of our present condition and yes, He does and will encourage us, but He also gave us one another. We are a family and he wants us to help each other in our weakness.
If you are losing hope…don’t. Period…
God says in His word that no one who trust in and puts their hope in Him will ever be put to shame. (Romans 10:11)
If you feel like things are impossible…stop. Period…
God says in His word that with Him all things are possible.(Matthew 19:26)
If you feel like you have to give in to sin and temptation…don’t feel that way. And run!!! Period.
God says in His word that although sin comes to our house and knocked on the door, it crouches and waits, we have power over that sin…to overcome it. (Genesis 4:7, James 4:7)
If you feel that the cares in your life are just too much to bare and God doesn’t even care…like a car coming to a screeching holt, I say…DO NOT FEEL THAT WAY. Period…
God tells us in His word that he cares for us. In fact he wants us to thrust our cares upon Him because He cares. That’s right! He cares about everything that we care about. (1 Peter 5:7)
I am suggesting that you can just stop all of the things that I mentioned above. We have to take control of our emotions and cast vain thoughts out of our minds and vain imaginations off of us. (2 Corinthians 10:5) We have to tell ourselves (sometimes speaking out loud) that the thoughts and feelings that attempt to settle in us that are contrary to what God says and who He is, are all vain. Therefore, there is no need to hold on to them. We have to verbally cast them off!
Do you see how this works? I am encouraging you. Somehow, in encouraging you, I too, feel myself being encouraged. Why? Because we are the body of Christ and we need to build one another up so that or body can be strong. We are more connected that you know.
If one of us veers off to the left or the right, there are ravenous wolves waiting to devour…these are seen and unseen. Our thoughts and feelings are used as catalysts and springboards to set our hearts in motion away from or towards God.
So today lets stir one another up. Let’s encourage one another in the faith. Let’s encourage one another in relationships, work, hobbies, and life. God has empowered us to do it.
Someone might give up and turn away because we didn’t encourage him or her. That’s what the Bible says.
Be uniquely you, have no fear, and encourage someone else. You never know what a smile and a good word will do.
