How to Encourage || 1 Thessalonians 5:11 || Manna for the Mind #64

Welcome to Day 64 of the “Manna for the Mind” devotional series! This series is about taking scripture passages (typically 1-3 verses) and building our understanding of their teachings through their context and connecting scripture. I believe that doing this helps us understand how to be the type of human that God created us to be.

Our passage today is 1 Thessalonians 5:11. We’ll focus on encouragement today and discuss how we can encourage each other. We will add verses 9 and 10 for context for the passage, but my focus will be on verse 11.

1 Thessalonians 5:9-11

9             For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us.

10           Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever.

11           So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

Imagine yourself facing a challenging task, something that feels insurmountable in this season of life. I’ll share my own struggle with you. As you contemplate this difficulty, allow yourself to feel the weight of it. Then, envision how those feelings shift or dissipate when you receive a word of encouragement from a compassionate member of your community, someone who helps you navigate and conquer the challenge.

This season, I’ve been studying for my written driver’s test. Driving, and even the concept of getting behind the wheel of a motor vehicle, triggers crazy anxiety in me. It’s led me to procrastinate for years in attempting to learn and study it. It’s led me to miss opportunities that would have grown my career, social circle, and other unique opportunities. I’m finally gaining confidence and getting into the material to study and prepare to get my driver’s license by the end of the summer. It has been challenging. It’s led to panic attacks, frustrations, fear of failure, fear of losing control, and more. However, my support circle has continued to speak life into me. They’ve encouraged me to practice proper study methods, contemplating the what-ifs and fears so that they can be understood at their core, and hearing my concerns without judgment. When they’ve done that, it allows me to keep it in my heart and reframe the anxieties as something to be worked with instead of being worked against. God has blessed me with many people to help me through this journey. He has given me a spirit of discernment to take in the things needed and filter out the things that aren’t. This journey has taught me a lot about myself and how to help others.

This experience has shown me the proper ways Christians can encourage one another. The encouragement offered at the right moment, often guided through the Holy Spirit, can be the difference between overcoming a difficult task and crumbling during the difficult task. Three things involve how we can be a healthy encourager:

Look around you. Keep your eyes and ears open to the conversations and behaviors around you. In my experience, someone who needs encouragement often displays body language or says critical words or phrases that trigger that nudge in your mind. Allow yourself to wrestle with whether or not you should encourage that person or allow the moment to slide. Sometimes, we might jump the gun and insert ourselves into their story without needing to. This is where the Holy Spirit can guide us. Talk with God to see how he wants to guide you and how the Holy Spirit, our divine helper, will assist you in discerning the right time and manner to offer encouragement.

Be sensitive to others’ need for encouragement. You do not know the stories that others are writing. By ‘sharing their story,’ we mean allowing them to express their thoughts, feelings, and experiences without interruption or judgment. You might be able to connect with it, but their role in it is unique to them. We need to recognize that. We need to remove ourselves from their story and allow them to share it and connect with it in a way that is unique to them. Once you hear it, don’t respond, but ask how you want them to respond. Do they need advice? Do they need to hear that they’re not alone? Do they need silence to allow the emotions to settle? Be sensitive to the situation and how we need to respond.

Offer supportive words or acts of service. We talked about being sensitive to their story and your response, but we need to be mindful of what we say or do. As mentioned, do they need to hear that you went through something similar? Do they need advice? Be mindful of the word choice you have. Start the response with a prayer to know that their heavenly Father always sees them where they are and is with them. They may need a distraction. Sometimes, a mental reset is the best encouragement someone can receive. They may need some food. They may need some exercise. They may need some entertainment. Let them make the choice. It doesn’t have to be extravagant, but what is needed for them now. For instance, you could offer to cook a meal for them, go for a walk together, or watch a movie that they enjoy.

Father God, thank you for the consistent encouragement we can receive through your Word and your Spirit. Allow us to share the encouragement we receive with those in need around us. Open our eyes, Lord. Remove us from their stories so that we can be sensitive and intentional about what they share. Give us a spirit of discernment, guidance, and wisdom to help us say or do what they need in their season. And as we embark on this journey of encouragement, let us not forget the power of prayer. It is through prayer that we can seek your guidance, strength, and wisdom in every interaction and act of encouragement. It’s in your name, we pray. Amen