DAY 23 - Encourage one another

 DAY 23 - Encourage one another

1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 “For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you also are doing.”

I thought we had finally arrived at one of these commands that I was good at…but when I read verses 9 and 10 and realized what the “Therefore” was there for, I realized that this “encourage” was pretty specific.

It is not just about reassuring and supporting people in their daily lives...it’s about helping them keep their eyes on the unseen.  This “encourage one another” is about helping others realize that circumstances are irrelevant to our joy, and that our final destination is the reason for our unshakeable optimism…- ” For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” - That is the encouragement…that is the reason for my contentment. 

So, while I do find it natural to encourage others…I need to make sure I am specific about why we are blessed to live a life that full of encouragement - and make sure I don’t just build others up with temporary support.