Encourage one another

"Everyday, as long as today lasts, keep encouraging one another so that none of you is hardened by the lure of sin, because we have been granted a share with Christ only if we keep the grasp of our first confidence firm to the end." (Hebrews 3: 13 – 14)

Encourage one another. We look around, near and far, we see many people that are discouraged. They are failing: morally, financially or maybe physically. Failure of any type tends to bring discouragement. And that is when there is the greatest danger of falling into the "lure of sin." The Holy Spirit asks us in Hebrews 3: 13 – 14 to watch out for signs of discouragement in the people we meet. Sometimes the signs may be a sigh, a word, language, a gesture or just plain inaction.

How do we encourage the discouraged? The first step is to ask the Holy Spirit for the fitting response. It could be a word. The best word is the word of God. This is what encourages me most. One of the most encouraging things is the remembrance of what God has done for us in the past. At the period of discouragement, the memory seems to go blank on God's past favors. If offering a helping hand in housework or a ride could lift up the spirit, do it. Perhaps it is just a little cash that could make the person feel that God is still on his side, give it.

If we trust the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us, he will show us the best response to the discouraged.