“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word” (2 Thess.2:16–17). “Encourage each other more and more as you see the Day of Jesus’ return approaching” (Heb.10:25).
Lord Jesus, by your reckoning, there are two things we can’t get too much of all the way Home—encouragement and hope. And the best new is, you and Abba are tenaciously committed to building a foundation of good hope in our hearts, and giving us eternal encouragement each and every day. Hallelujah, and thank you!
How do you do it? First and foremost, through your Word. While hype, fear, fantasy, spin, and lies abound—real, trustworthy hope can only be found in the Scriptures—the Bible. And it’s all about you, Jesus. From Genesis through Revelation, you are the point, hero, focus of the entire Bible. You are the “Yes” to every promise our Father has made (2Cor.1:20). Hallelujah, we have true hope.
How does true hope become experiential, heart-comforting, life-empowering encouragement? By the Holy Spirit. Jesus, thank you for the promise and provision of the Spirit’s work in our lives. Though we can never lose him, we can surely forget and ignore him. It’s why you command us to seek and surrender to the Spirit’s fulness on a daily basis (Eph.5:18).
Jesus, wonder of wonders, you also use us as conduits of your hope and encouragement. Not flattery, which is self-serving fawning and manipulation. Not denial, which is conflict avoidant, peace-fakery. Not calling down fire and shaming, which both contradict the way of the Gospel. Not becoming doormats, but foot washers—loving as you love us Jesus, building each other up, speaking words of help, healing, and wisdom all the way Home. Jesus, may our necessary conflicts even smell like hope and encouragement.