"Encourage One Another"

With everything we have going on in our lives, it’s so easy to get discouraged, sidetracked, stressed, frustrated, and upset, which can cause us to react uncharacteristic, emotional, and unholy if we are not careful and if we are not aware of our feelings. It’s unfortunate that so many people react emotionally to their circumstances in a manner that’s unholy, especially during this political climate we find ourselves saturated in. We must be very careful how we respond and how we react to our circumstances in order to avoid asking God for forgiveness later. Remember Saints, it’s not if it rains, but when it rains, how are you going to deal with the rain... It's the storms we encounter in our life that provide us the wonderful opportunity to exercise our faith, to apply the Word of God in our life, to grow in the midst of our suffering, and to encourage one another daily.

The Bible says in Hebrews 13:3 “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” You see, when we are not encouraging one another in our circumstances, not only can they become discouraged, but we can also become discouraged because the wheels of our faith stop spinning when we are not encouraging others with the word. And when we become discouraged, sin is crouching at our doors desiring to have us. But, as the scripture says in Genesis 4:7, we must master it, we must subdue it, we must conquer the sin of temptation, and we must not allow our situations to get the best of us! Paul says in Philippians 1:27, that “whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel.” We have to stay encouraged through the Word of God despite our discouraging situations in order to encourage others to fight the good fight.

Furthermore, some of the ways we can stay encouraged as we go through our daily lives is to do what the scriptures tell us to do, which is to run our race with perseverance, to fix our eyes on the author and finisher of our faith, to mediate on his Word day and night, and to pray without ceasing. There’s so much more where that came from!! However, as the mud gets thick, as the waves get rough, and as Satan works overtime, we have to steadily continue readjusting our lens not on what is seen but on what is unseen, which is eternal. Why? Because what is seen is temporary, and what we go through in life is only light and momentary. That's why it's important for us to fix our eyes on God, on our faith, and on his Word because those things will not only last forever, but they will also help encourage us and others through our storms! As the old saying goes.., "This too shall pass." 

However, the most encouraging thing we have at our advantage that often times gets swept under the rug of our circumstances is our faith in Jesus Christ. You see, it says in Hebrews 2:14, “Therefore, he (Jesus) had to be made like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in things relating to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. For since he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.” This verse right here is so encouraging to know that our God can help us and can relate to everything we go through in our life because he himself was mocked, betrayed, spit on, slapped, flogged, persecuted, and suffered death on the cross. But if we are not operating in faith and in his word, how can we be encouraged by it??? Furthermore, how can we encourage others if we ourselves are discouraged??? Therefore, whenever you go through whatever it is you go through in life, remember that Jesus is in the boat with you, and be encouraged that you have a Savior that’s been through it all. This way you can encourage one another daily with the Gospel of Christ as long as it is called today not knowing what your brother or sister may be going through. God not only wants to use your storm to develop you, but to encourage somebody else who may be going through something similar. 

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father, we come before you with thanksgiving and praise for your faithfulness and goodness to us. We thank you Lord for your word, we thank you for your Son, and we thank you for the good and the bad, because we know and understand that you work all things together for the good of those who love you. So Lord, we pray that you will help us stand firm in our trials, that you will mold us in our trials, and that you will encourage us in our trials through your word and through our faith in you to get us through! We love you and we thank you so much, in Jesus name we pray, Amen!