A little encouragment goes a long way...

This last week has been full of very unexpected and encouraging surprises.  Being home has been amazing, but presents its own set of life’s challenges.  Between text messages, phone calls, letters, reminders, emails, and even a surprise visit, God showed me just how important encouragement is for the Body of Christ.

I am reminded of Paul, and what he writes in Colossians about why he struggles for them to know the mystery that is Christ:

…that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments.  For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.
Colossians 2:2-5

In Paul’s absence he writes to fellow believers for a few reasons.  Yet the first of these reasons is so that their hearts may be encouraged, and I strongly believe that the other reasons come as a result of his encouragement. 

The result of encouragement connects people in love, and directs them towards the riches of full assurance and understanding of who God is and who Christ is. Why do I believe Paul is writing out of encouragement?  Because faith is tough… There is no hiding the fact, life in Christ will be difficult.  We are told that we will face trials, persecution, and possibly death for what we believe.  Additionally, it is crucial for the message of Christ to withstand plausible arguments, feel good philosophy, and unhealthy human traditions.

Friends, this is why encouragement so important for the body of believers.  For anyone who walks in faith, we need encouragement.

So here is my request. Take ten minutes out of your day this week to encourage someone.  Not just Monday, but every day this week.  Here is the catch, do not fabricate the encouragement.  Even though encouragement should be based on truth, I believe you can always find something encouraging to say to everyone.

Be creative, send a text message, write a thank you note, make a video, draw a picture, or write a poem, there are more ways than one to offer encouragement.  I promise you, you will be amazed at what a little bit of encouragement does to those receiving it, but don’t forget to make note of what it does to you.

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for build up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Ephesians 4:29 (ESV)

No one said it would be easy...

For what it is worth, I hope this post is encouraging, as discouraging as it may read.  It seems that the last few weeks of my life have been filled with a common theme that many of us struggle with in our pursuit of Christ.  I have been blessed with an opportunity to live in a close community of young men, who are passionately pursuing the heart of God, for the next few months…  and I could not be more grateful for this opportunity, especially now. 

Brothers and Sisters, followers of Christ, we have chosen a difficult journey.  The adventure that we have signed up for by following Christ is just that, an adventure. 

Will it be fun, exciting, and at times painful?  Yes. 

Will it be easy?  Absolutely not. 

Somewhere along the line we fell into this ideal that following Christ will mean an easy and prosperous life, free from hardship.  I do not know where we get such ideas.  When we study the Word, God never promises us an easy life for putting our faith, hope, and trust in him.  We have twisted God’s promise of a more fulfilling life to think that we will have a more prosperous, blessed, and easier way of life.

Friends, these are lies. 

No one said it would be easy. 

In fact, the Bible constantly reminds us of the difficulties that we will face (See: Matthew 6:34, John 16:33, Romans 5:3-5, James 1:2-4).  The Bible constantly reminds us of our need to be actively pursuing Christ (Romans 8:1-2, II Corinthians 1:8-11) .  The Bible constantly reminds us to be ready to face opposition, because it will come (I came across this great sermon my Mark Driscoll from Nehemiah 4 on this, if you have an hour please watch it).

Why do you think it so important to be in community with those who share your heart?  Why do you think we desperately need to spend time in prayer and reading our Bible? 

Because it [passionately following Christ] is not easy, especially when we try to do it alone. 

It is not easy to live by faith, when culture is telling us to take control of our own lives.  It is not easy to love others, when culture tells us that love is a currency, to be used for our own self-gain.  It is not easy to surrender everything, when culture tells us that we are defined by our material possessions, relationships, successes, and even failures. 

I hope you see the picture that I am trying to paint, if our lives are becoming too easy for too long… maybe we need to examine our heart.  Do I think that every minute of every day must be difficult to prove that we are following Christ?  No.  Yet, if our hearts are to glorify God we must know that we will run into hardship. There will be people who oppose us. 

However, we do have hope.  We have been promised life, and life to the fullest.  Additionally, we have been granted the opportunity to see the world through our Savior’s eyes.  If we remain faithful in our struggle with sin, if we struggle well, He will elevate us.  Daniel was spared from the mouths’ of angry lions (Daniel 6).  Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were spared from a fiery furnace (Daniel 3). Elijah brought fire from heaven, on multiple occasions (I and II Kings).  Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, placed in prison, and was then elevated to the second highest position in Egypt (Genesis 37-45).  Paul and Peter faced constant imprisonment; James and Stephen were killed for their faith (Acts and pretty much the whole New Testament).  Jesus was conspired against, betrayed, mocked, beaten, and crucified…  These are who we should aspire to model our faith after.

Do I think all of us will face such extreme persecution?  No, but if the value of our lives were the salvation of countless others like these men and Jesus, shouldn’t we live in a way that stirs the pot a little?  Maybe a lot (we can only hope)?  I truly believe that if we surrender to God’s will for us, he will use us for great things… just like all of these faithful followers. 

If you have made it this far into this post, thank you for sticking with me.  While I am not the first to tell you, or at least I hope not, being a Christ follower will not always be easy. But God has not left us to do it alone either, we have our brothers and sisters in Christ, and we have Him.  What more could we need?

II Corinthians 1:9-10

“Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death.  But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.  He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us.  On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,”