Encouragement for Today

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Following a warning to take care not to have evil, unbelieving hearts that reject the living God, the writer of Hebrews offers us this exhortation: But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin (Heb. 12:13, NASB). This verse seems to have become a recurring theme for me this year as I’ve seen how important it is for believers to stand in the gap for fellow believers who are struggling. More than ever before, I see my own struggles, and without this kind of encouragement, I am afraid that I would have a heart “hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”
Today, I thought about this verse as I read Paul’s words of encouragement to a young pastor (I Timothy 4). He told Timothy to persevere in not only disciplining himself for the purpose of being godly, but also for teaching God’s word to the people who so desperately needed it. The connection is this: as we discipline ourselves in studying the word for the purpose of godliness, we are nourished and able to teach others. In publicly reading God’s Word and exhorting and teaching others, they are nourished, and we are re-nourished (if that’s a word) and strengthened. It’s a wonderful cycle of encouragement that God gives us if we are willing to engage in it. Paul often told believers that it was no problem for him to repeat himself and his teaching, and another aspect of that idea—encouragement—clicked for me today. I have never really understood this because sometimes I get really tired of repeating myself to my high school English students…but this is so different! While there is no encouragement in telling students who didn’t listen the first, second, or twentieth time I told them to turn to page whatever in the book, there is so much encouragement in offering God’s encouragement to other believers. In not stopping offering encouragement, I am being encouraged right along with them. Today… offer encouragement and help another escape the deceitfulness of sin…today, offer encouragement to another and escape being hardened by the deceitfulness of sin…today…today...today...

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