God Of Endurance & Encouragement
In our walks with Christ, we often talk about how we need to endure and encourage. Certainly there is a responsibility on our part to make an effort in these areas. Often times we are frustrated by either our own efforts, the efforts of others, or both. May those times of frustration not lead to us giving up hope. May we remember who is ultimately the One who leads in these areas, and the One we are to be following — the God of endurance and encouragement! Perhaps forgetting this obvious fact is one of the reasons we struggle so much. Let’s check out this quote from John Calvin and some Scripture…
Ask God. What a novel concept! It may not make our tough times smooth or easy, but it really is that simple. Also, as the following verses say, maybe we ought to take the focus off of pleasing ourselves, and make welcoming others a priority. That’s one way to follow in Christ’s footsteps…
Rom 15:1 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
Rom 15:2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.
Rom 15:3 For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”
Rom 15:4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
Rom 15:5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,
Rom 15:6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Rom 15:7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
—Romans 15:1-7
Going to God in prayer is great, but we know what He says best through His Word. Trying to do one without the other leads to either a false sense of intimacy where we don’t care what He says (try that with your loved ones) or knowledge of principles with no personal experience of the person of Christ. Endurance and encouragement of any relationship has to include actually knowing the person, welcoming them in, and to some degree putting aside pleasing ourselves. Amen?