Pastor's Corner: Encouragement for all

Your ability to encourage others is the support and hope that they need. Paul spent a lot of his time doing just that, encouraging his fellow believers through the places he visited and where he was headed to. In fact, Paul tells us in Hebrews 10:25 (New Living Translation), “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”

Church is a critical component to the encouragement of believers; however, it goes well beyond the walls of a church. Paul tells us in Romans 1:9 that he prayed for the people daily, bringing their needs to God, and continued to spread the good news about God’s son, Jesus. What I find interesting here is that Paul spent his time encouraging others, lifting them up through prayer, and talking about their faith to others.

Paul was in his community encouraging others to fight the good fight, to persevere. Church is not meant to be held within the confinement of walls, but rather, God’s word is intended to reach the community around us, through prayer and faith, encouraging all to know that God has a plan for their lives!

I know the power of encouragement through my children.The ability we have as parents to speak life into their situation and ensure that they [BEGIN ITAL]know[END ITAL] they are loved and have the opportunity afforded to them through our voice – that is powerful. Daily we encourage our children in all the things they put their hands to that they have God-given talent, and that they have a future, because after all, that is exactly what the Bible teaches us.

But it goes beyond this. We encourage their friends, their parents, their friend’s friends and so on. Furthermore, we share this with our community daily, that they have a hope and a future in Christ as well (Jeremiah 29:11).

Taking the time to encourage others is a way to uplift someone who may very well be down and out. Your words of gratitude and love could be exactly what may be missing in someone’s life, the thing that keeps people moving in a forward direction. Words of affirmation are powerful in that they bring to light the qualities of a person in a positive manner to let them know that others do indeed care. Imagine a world that speaks positive life into others instead of tearing each other down. The future looks brighter when we are working together for an outcome that speaks of life and not death.

Take a little time out of your day to call that person who is on your heart and encourage them to keep running the race, to keep their head up. Speak words of affirmation, of life, into dark situations, and work with one another for the betterment of our community. Be the light in a dark place, a light that is needed to see where we are going.