- This is part of a leadership series on the theme of encouragement -
Like the children of Israel, the early disciples must have wondered if God was going to abandon them as Christ told of his death and eventual return to his Father. After all, they had invested years of their lives, left behind careers and families in order to follow this miracle-working rabbi, and now he was telling them about his impending departure. Jesus comforted his friends on the night he was betrayed with these words: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me” (John 14:1). Later that same night, he said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (14:27).
God is trustworthy. When our hope is found in him, we need never lose courage. Regardless of what happens in our world, his promises are sure. There is nothing that can keep his Word from coming to pass – no adversity, no pain, no sorrow, no setback. Nothing can keep his promise from being fulfilled. Ultimately, we will be with him in the Father’s dwelling place. This simple truth gives us comfort and hope in the midst of tough times.
Andy Cook tells us how we may walk through times of trouble without losing our confidence:
How will you walk in confidence toward your future? Focus on the blessings, the peace, and the joy that Christ offers. Focus on the fact that Jesus has walked first, inviting us to come with him. We don’t have to travel alone. It might be dark, descending into the valley of hell, but at least we’re not alone. Jesus promised that he would never, ever leave us. As Paul said in that tiny verse of Philippians, let your countenance be known to all men, a countenance of confidence that knows, in faith, that “the Lord is near.”
Let his attitude be your cloak. Let his sandals guide your footsteps. And as you go, remember that the laughter is just beyond the pain. Just beyond the cross is resurrection. Just beyond the grief is wild celebration. Focus on the laughter that is to come.[1]
God, the Ruler of the Universe, cares about encouraging you. He makes it his business to provide his people a sense of comfort and peace – even in the midst of fear and uncertainty. But the way he normally provides his encouragement for his people is through his people. It is no wonder, then, that our enemy so often uses other people to sabotage and undermine God’s purposes for our lives. Joyce Heatherley has written a marvelous little book called Balcony People, in which she discusses the pain caused by people who feel the need to constantly evaluate our shortcomings and the joy brought by people who affirm our potential. She writes:
I am more convinced than ever that if our inner brokenness is ever to be made whole, and if we are to ever sing again, we will need to deal with the issues of evaluators and affirmers in our lives. I also firmly believe that the need for affirming one another is crucial to our process of becoming real, not phony or hypocritical, people of God. Affirming brings authenticity and credibility to our faith as it is lived day by day.[2]
As you become more like Jesus, you must make it your business to provide encouragement to the people around you. In this way, you will find his promise of comfort and peace becoming a greater reality in your life.
[1] Andy Cook, A Different Kind of Laughter: Finding Joy and Peace in the Deep End of Life (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2002), p. 77.
[2] Joyce Landorf Heatherley, Balcony People (Austin, TX: Balcony Publishing, 1984), p. 25.
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