(November 15, 2023) Wayne Swift shares encouragingly…

Paul was so concerned about the troubles the Thessalonian Christians were encountering that he didn’t hesitate in sending young Timothy to help them. As he wrote in 1Thessalonians 3:2-3, Timothy was directed ‘… to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials.’

Knowing the circumstances of the fledgling Thessalonian congregation and the likelihood of ongoing persecution, Paul reminded them of his concern for those troubled Christians and encouraged them in their faith.

Encouraging means to give hope and the apostle was a great encourager of Christians and churches. A top example to us in these troubled days!

Faith-directed encouragement
Encouragement provides both hope and support in difficult situations and is welcomed. 

• Everyday people go through trials and difficulties of some sort and often our inclination is just to encourage them to overcome in those matters.
• But… Timothy, directed by Paul, focused on encouraging people in their faith so that, strengthened and built up, they would overcome in their everyday difficulties through exercised faith in Christ.  

And this is something we too must do when reaching out to help people going through difficulties. Our words must focus on building up their faith! 

Speaking at weekly meetings ministers are afforded this opportunity… but then it’s expected.  Away from church services every Christian should take God-given opportunities to provide needed boosts of aptly timed words of encouragement. Why? Whatever the trial increased trust in God is a certain help. 

David’s source in troubled times
In the midst of an enormous tragedy in his life, David is found looking to God. 1 Samuel 30:6 tells us: ‘David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God.’ The Good News Bible says that David was encouraged by the Lord his God.

The strength – the encouragement – David derived from his relationship with the Lord, along with the promises that provided hope, gave him the courage to speak boldly to those who had followed him but were now turning against him.  That speech inspired strength and faith in his distraught men to the extent that they went with him into battle again and won a great victory.

In difficult times faith can suffer… and we need to build a culture that encourages faith in the midst of trials so that people will keep on making it through.  When a person is drowning what they need most is help to ensure they survive.  Often we let people go on in their struggles and then congratulate them if they make it through.  Sadly though there are a lot of people who don’t make it! 

Note how David handled this trouble time:
David spoke to himself about his faith in God and reminded himself of …
– God’s help when as a young man he battled the giant Goliath.
– God’s calling and promises to him many years earlier.
– God’s great power that always strengthened him.
– God’s past efforts on his behalf.
   
And he decided he should do something about the current situation.

• Testing this decision, David then spoke to Abiathar the priest about what he should do.
• Then he sought the Lord regarding his troubles and was strengthened in his faith.
• He then gathered troubled people and encouraged them, giving them hope.
• David then went into battle for what was lost.

Encouragement’s purpose
Trials and struggles in life can result in loss and the greatest casualty is often faith. The purpose in encouraging others purpose is to build strength so loss can be minimised.

• When someone in our vicinity or within our reach is struggling seek to find a way to strengthen and build their faith so they can make it through intact. 
• Build faith in troubled hearts and see results!
• Our kind encouraging words and actions can and will make the world of difference. 

But… we mustn’t just use expected encouraging words alone; we must seek solid scripture-based words that build faith and hope, for such words always carry life with them.

In these troubled days, may we all follow the example of Paul, Timothy and David and be faith-directed encouragers bringing hope and strength to distressed souls around us!

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Wayne Swift pastors Resound Church, Scoresby, Victoria. Link: Web resound.church
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