(1 Thessalonians 5:14) Encourage the troubled in heart.
We all face life’s troubles and disappointments.
All of us!
No one is exempt.
All humans are fallen (imperfect).
Our world is broken.
And so, we should not expect perfection from ourselves or others.
If we live by the standard of perfection, we are simply embracing fairy tales and destructive illusions.
Biblical faith is not pretending that life is a bed of roses when, in reality, it is also often filled with bushes of thorns.
Our lives are like a garden.
We experience flowers and weeds.
Our lives are filled with relationship struggles, sickness, frustration at our jobs, financial problems, disobedient children, and certainly spiritual opposition and oppression.
At times, nothing seems to go right.
As a result, we become discouraged, sometimes for a few hours, a few days, or even a few weeks.
What does it mean to become discouraged?
We become troubled in our hearts (disheartened).
We start to lose hope.
We become shortsighted.
We lose the big picture.
We lose a long-term vision in life.
We feel like we’ve hit a dead end.
We feel like nothing is going to change.
We lose confidence.
We lose enthusiasm.
We become very pessimistic; everything seems gloomy.
We lose focus concerning our goals.
This is crucially important: Christians need encouragement from other believers.
That is why, in 1 Thessalonians 5:14, Paul exhorts us to encourage other believers who are troubled in heart.
Over the decades of my life and ministry, I have been discouraged many, many times, but God has always been faithful to lift me up, often through other believers who encouraged me.
What does it mean to encourage others?
Biblical encouragement is not simply sympathizing with others.
It is not speaking nice platitudes.
It is not telling the discouraged to deny reality.
It is a Holy Spirit impartation (provision from God) of comfort, blessing, kindness, and hope.
It is standing alongside someone in their discouragement and imparting to them the strength of God.
Biblical encouragement can come in many forms, but in my view, it is often grounded in prayer.
We must be filled with the Holy Spirit so that we can impart God’s spiritual strength to the one who is struggling.
Biblical encouragement does not originate from our own strength or emotions.
As Psalm 46:1 tells us, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
Are you surrounding yourself with strong Christian encouragers?
Do you encourage those who are down in life and struggling?