Power of Encouragement

They’re walking all around you today. They were walking all around you yesterday. They will be walking around you tomorrow. All around are people whose lives are a mess either because of choices they made or that someone else made that’s impacted them. Think about it, who isn’t messed up in the Gospels? Jesus. That’s it. Everyone else is an absolute mess.

The entire entourage that followed Jesus was a jumble of broken people. Somehow, they found a home with Jesus. Somehow they found acceptance. Somehow Jesus talked past their hurt and anger and spoke to their deepest fears that they really were accepted. That they really were loved. That there really was hope.

The writer of Hebrews deals with this very issue. “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” (Hebrews 3:13) It also says, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

These verses talk about us focusing on others. Notice there is no exception clause there for those people who also have it hard. We’re all supposed to be encouraging each other. Encouraging them onto to “love and good deeds.” It talks about avoiding the hardening effects of sin by encouraging one another. This is the power you have, I have, we have; this is the power that God has entrusted all of us with.

Of course we can all think of ways that other people can encourage us more, but I want to challenge you to consider how you can encourage others. What will that look like for you? What will it look for you to encourage and spur others on to good works? Think of at least one person you can encourage by tomorrow. Then go do it.

May you see the power of encouraging others no matter what is happening in your life, and may you be encouraged today that no matter what is or has happened in your life, God has given you a tremendous opportunity. He has given you tremendous power. You can be a catalyst for those around you to live as God intended them to live.