It’s a command to continually as part of your life style to choose to come alongside and console, comfort, cheer up, stimulate, help along in a friendly way those who are despondent, who are disheartened…They don’t need to be rebuked but… encouraged!
Since it’s a command and is continuous…it is a service for all believers to aid one another. It’s for you and me, not to avoid, criticize, stand off, but to come along side with the specific, gentle and loving task to be… an encourager to the disheartened…
This verse shows us two truths, firstly this is to be our lifestyle to be encouragers secondly, there must be those who are dispirited, faint hearted, discouraged to such an extent that there is need for all believers to obey this command not on a one time basis ….but on a continual basis that it describes who you are, and the way you live , your lifestyle … You are one of God’s Encourager’s and others namely the dispirited experience His encouragement, comfort, through…you. You are His Ambassador, His representative !
Present imperative command – is PRACTICE this as your lifestyle ,…Namely be a continual encourager to those who are disheartened ! To not be an an encourager is to disobey God! It’s not optional, indeed it is seldom valued, until you yourself are in need of some encouragement, then it is comforting, uplifting and hope is birthed again! God would not command us to continually be alert to the dispirited and specifically tell us how to be towards them if He did not think it was needed and important and necessary! Perhaps you have not seen his value of it, or have not placed a priority upon it and have neglected to be so …and have not been an encourager…and the dispirited have not, do not benefit from you…Thank God we can confess our sin …and we can change, for we have the POWER to change, and be what God calls us to be. It is not about personality, but power! You ARE a NEW Creature in Christ,-{Read 2 Cor 5:17}; with NEW Standing with God -{Rom 5:1-2} and NEW POWER – {Read; Rom 12:2; 2 Peter 1:3; Phil 2:13; }
And the good news you can begin now and be an encourager to the despondent. – You have the power to be such a one -( Read Phil 2:13). There are or will be people in your circumstances who need someone to encourage them…
Hear what God says the need from this verse is... they need a person to Encourage them… and that would include … you! DO What God says! It is not optional.
It IS A LOVE ISSUE!
- – Love for the LORD, “He who has my commandments and keeps them he is the one who LOVES ME!”- {John 14:21}…
- – LOVE for others “… by THIS ALL men will KNOW YOU are MY disciples by YOUR LOVE FOR …ONE ANOTHER.”- {John 13:34-35}
- – “Family Resemblance, “- ENCOURAGING the despairing is an outwork of loving God as manifest in loving others! It’s a “Family resemblance,” God is love and God “… gives encouragement…”- {Romans 15:4-5}
We should be GROWING in this aspect of not only seeing the disheartened but personally choosing to come alongside to instill courage into them!
Paul goes on to give one more command in the verse “Be Patient…” again it is to be our lifestyle to be patient with “all people” and this includes the despairing. It takes power and love, and God has given you the power to be so! Good news, you are someone answer in their time of despair!! Job said, “in time of despair there should be KINDNESS from his friend.” The thing he desired and needed was not offered to him,…don’t be a Job friend!
Reach out in gentleness and lovingly lift up the discouraged –
It is God’s Will for you and me!
You can say based on His Word,
“God’s Will for me is,…I am to be
Encouraging The Disheartened”