“Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.”
Matthew 27:45-49 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/mat.27.45-49.KJV
Encouragement That Builds
Have you ever regretted not taking the time to speak life or truth over someone? Maybe they were going through a hard time and you weren't sure what to say, but you felt like you could have—and should have—said something.
When Paul, the author of 1 Thessalonians, is writing to the church in Thessalonika, he gives them some practical advice...
Paul tells the church to continue to encourage one another and keep building each other up. This was something they were already doing, but Paul felt it necessary to remind them to keep doing this.
Encouragement can change someone’s attitude. It can lift someone out of a dark place. It can remind them of what's true when the truth feels foggy. Speaking life and truth over someone can give them the hope and determination they need to push through a hard season.
Maybe you can remember a time when someone encouraged you during a challenging season of life, and the difference it made for you. Paul is encouraging us to do that ...