We usually hear the word encouragement and think of kind words that lift our spirits. There is nothing wrong with that. We all need people who will speak hope into our lives. A timely word can sometimes make the difference between giving up and taking the next step.

But Christian encouragement is more than helping people feel better.

If encouragement only tells us things that make us feel better but fails to tell us things that actually make us better, then it is not Christian encouragement.

Christian encouragement helps us remain faithful to Jesus. Sometimes it comforts us. Sometimes it reminds us of what is true when our circumstances have caused us to forget. Sometimes it challenges us and calls us back when we begin to wander.

It says, “Keep going. Don’t give up. Christ is faithful. You are not alone, and we are going to walk this road together.”

That kind of encouragement can only happen in community.

Holding on Together

The Christians who first received the letter to the Hebrews were growing weary. Life had become harder. Opposition was real. Some were starting to pull back from the community. Some were neglecting the gathering. A few may have been quietly wondering whether it was still worth holding on.

The writer does not scold them for being tired. He points them again to Jesus. Then he tells them how to respond:

“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.” Hebrews 10:23 (NLT)

Notice the language. He does not say, “Let ‘me’ hold tightly.” He says, “Let us hold tightly.”

Faith is personal, but it is never private. Each of us must trust Christ. No one else can believe or surrender to Christ for us. But we hold tightly to hope together.

There will be times when your faith is strong and the faith of the person beside you is weak. There will also be times when their faith is strong and yours is weak. That is one reason God gives us to one another.

Imagine that you and a friend are hiking on a steep trail. Your friend slips and begins to slide backward. You do not simply shout, “Hang in there!” You plant your feet, reach down, and take hold. For a moment, both of you feel the pull of the drop. But because you refuse to let go, your friend finds solid footing again.

Christian encouragement is like that. Sometimes we are the ones doing the holding. Other times we are the ones who need to be held. Christ holds us, and he has given us to one another so that we can hold on together.

Our hope is not wishful thinking or the belief that everything will work out the way we want. Our hope rests in the character of God. We hold tightly because God can be trusted.

When I cannot see what God is doing, you can remind me that God is faithful. When you wonder whether God has forgotten you, I can remind you of his promises. When one of us grows weary, others can help carry the weight.

That is how we encourage one another with hope.

Encouragement Is Not the Same as Approval

The writer continues:

“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.” Hebrews 10:24 (NLT)

Encouragement is intentional. It requires us to pay attention to one another. We cannot encourage people we never notice. We cannot help carry burdens we know nothing about. We cannot motivate one another toward love and good works if our only concern is our own spiritual life.

We are accountable to Christ, but we are also accountable to one another.

We have a difficult time with accountability. Part of that comes from our individualism. Part of it comes from not wanting to hurt someone’s feelings. We would rather remain silent than risk an uncomfortable conversation. And part of it comes from believing that another person’s life is none of our business.

But if we belong to the Church together, then it is our business to love one another. It is our business to care when someone is hurting. It is our business to notice when someone is wandering. It is our business to confront sin, brokenness, and division, not because we want to control one another, but because we love one another.

John Wesley described this responsibility as “watching over one another in love.”

That does not mean spying, constantly looking for faults, or using religion to control another person. It means caring enough about another person’s faithfulness that we refuse to remain indifferent.

When I begin to wander, I need someone who loves me enough to call me back. When I become discouraged, I need someone to remind me of the faithfulness of God. When I begin making excuses for behavior that damages my relationship with Christ or harms others, I need someone who will tell me the truth in love.

That is encouragement too.

We sometimes confuse encouragement with approval. But Christian encouragement is not concerned merely with making us comfortable. It is concerned with helping us become faithful.

The question is not simply, “What can I say to make this person happy?” The deeper question is, “What does this person need from me to help them remain faithful to Jesus?”

Sometimes the answer will be comfort, prayer, practical help, or a reminder of God’s promises. Sometimes it will be a difficult truth spoken with humility, gentleness, and love.

Your Presence Matters

Finally, the writer says:

“And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” Hebrews 10:25 (NLT)

We often use this verse to tell people they ought to attend church. That is certainly part of what the writer is saying, but his concern goes deeper than filling seats in a building. He is telling us that we need one another.

We sometimes approach worship as consumers. We ask whether we enjoyed the music, whether the sermon spoke to us, whether the service met our needs, or whether we got anything out of it.

But we do not come to worship only to receive. We come to give.

We give our praise to God. We give our prayers, presence, gifts, strength, service, and encouragement to the community. Everyone has something to offer the Body of Christ.

Even when you arrive tired, discouraged, grieving, or spiritually empty, your presence may encourage someone else. Seeing you continue to trust God during a difficult season may give another person the courage to keep trusting too.

That is why withdrawing from Christian community is so dangerous. We lose more than an hour of worship. We lose the voices that remind us of hope. We lose the accountability that motivates us toward faithfulness. We lose the encouragement that helps us keep going.

And the community loses something too. It loses what we were meant to bring.

Someone needs your presence. Someone needs your prayers. Someone needs your words of hope. Someone needs you to speak the truth in love. Someone needs the example of your quiet, steady faithfulness.

And whether you realize it or not, you need those same things from them.

So here is the question I am asking myself:

Am I helping the people around me remain faithful to Jesus?

Identify one person you can encourage this week. Call them. Text them. Invite them for coffee. Listen to them. Remind them of what is true. If necessary, help them regain their footing.

Christian encouragement gives hope to those who are weary. It motivates us toward love and good works. It reminds us that we do not walk alone.

Let us hold tightly to hope. Let us think about one another. Let us gather faithfully. And let us encourage one another.

Until next time, keep looking up…