Our scripture for the Daily Devotional today is taken from Romans 15:1-8. Being encouraged is such a powerful emotion. It can make you feel invincible and powerful. I wonder why we do not encourage each other far more often.
“We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. 3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”[a] 4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. 8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews[b] on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed.”
May you have endurance in your encouragement.
One of the greatest studies that my spouse and I did was the “Love and Respect” series for couples. It opened our eyes to our behavior and actions. While the actions, words, and attitudes matter, the most compelling information was about the cycle.
Women treat their husbands with no respect when they do not feel loved, and the husband withdraws love when they are not respected. The trick is that most relationships get caught into this cycle where they react to the other. In order to break the cycle, one party (ideally both) will endure the actions, words, or attitudes of the other long enough that they will start to reciprocate faithful acts of love.
We as the church need to not only be encouraging, but we need to have endurance. Those that we seek out to encourage, will not reciprocate initially. We will want to give up, but the reward is there for those that are faithful! Let us stand before God, faithful and ready for the reward!
Let’s Pray
Dear Jesus,
In Jesus Name,
Amen