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December 29, 2022

The Significance of Encouragement

December 29, 2022 by CARISSA JOY STRUM ENCOURAGEMENT Self-care Homeschooling Spiritual wellness
The Significance of Encouragement
  • by CARISSA JOY STRUM
  • Comment
“Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts. He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.”
Colossians 4:7-9‭‬

When you think about Paul in the Bible, what characteristics do you think of? Bold, brave, outspoken, and strong are some of the adjectives that come to mind. So when Paul exudes care and compassion for the hearts of believers in Colossians 4, it makes me pause and wonder. I tend to think of encouragement and the heart as aspects of life that are softer and, sometimes, less important. However, this passage reveals the importance of encouragement and the value of the heart. Paul, a bold and strong hero of the faith, took the time to check in with the Colossians about how their hearts were doing. Paul sent someone to the Colossians specifically to encourage them. Far from being insignificant, the value of encouragement and the heart is beyond what we can comprehend!


God deeply values the heart. We see this throughout Scripture, from the Shema (Deut. 6:5) to today’s reading. Current culture pushes us to think about the heart either as an emotional and weak aspect of who we are, or as the center of all and the dictator of our choices. Paul refutes both of these ideas by explaining that the heart is valuable (worth checking in on and attending), but that the heart is strengthened by encouragement that comes from outside of ourselves. Paul sent fellow believers to the Colossian church so that the Colossians could be encouraged by the work of God and His Spirit. Instead of sending some spiritual guru to point the Colossians to look inward, Paul sent fellow believers to point the Colossians to look at what God had done and be encouraged by His work and goodness.


How is your heart today? Are you allowing yourself to be encouraged by other believers, or are you too caught up in trying to build and encourage others that you won’t let yourself be encouraged and strengthened? Let’s not get so caught up in programs and statistics and measurable growth that we neglect the care and significance of encouragement. It may not always be physically visible, but the spiritual changes it spurs will lead us closer to Jesus and deeper in relationships with those He has placed around us.


Be encouraged today. You are God’s chosen daughter, and God is for you (see Romans 8). You are not alone; there is a community of believers—family—throughout the world who are also for you (see Hebrews 12:1). Take a deep breath and allow yourself to be encouraged by God and His people.

Closing Prayer
Abba, thank You for encouraging us today. Thank You for creating a body of believers and for not leaving us alone (1 Corinthians 12). We praise You and thank You that You care about our hearts, and we graciously receive Your encouragement and care today. We invite Your Spirit to reveal any places where our hearts need healing, and we ask that You would help us to receive and extend Your encouragement this week through Your grace and Spirit. Amen.
Resources
Song: The Blessing by Kari Jobe This song encourages me and reminds me of the importance of fellow believers! We can encourage and strengthen each other as we expectantly wait for the day when we will all glorify our Jesus together (see Rev. 7:9-12).
Article: You Can Encourage Someone Else by Holley Gerth This short and simple article is such an encouraging reminder of how God can use us, and also includes a beautiful reference to Hebrews 3:13! God truly can and does use us, and this article is a beautiful reminder of that truth.
Question for Reflection

What’s one way you can allow the Spirit of God to refresh and encourage your heart through other believers this week? As you lean into God’s encouragement, what’s one simple way you can encourage a fellow believer in Christ?

Comments
Carissa Joy Strum
December 29, 2022

I can trust that God has forgiven me and choose to rest in His grace and goodness instead of constantly trying to confess and make things right by my own strength. I can dwell on God’s goodness and blessings (like a beautiful sunset, fresh flowers, or a hot cup of coffee) and receive God’s encouragement instead of feeling like I have to manage and control all the things. As far as encouraging another believer, I can choose to build my husband up this week and focus on his strengths. I can pray for him and thank him for all that he does instead of expecting him to do things!