Encouraging One Another

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. —1 Thessalonians 5:11

The “therefore” in 1 Thessalonians 5:11 points us to the reason why we should take time to speak life-giving words to each other. It’s not because we should traffic in warm fuzzies. The reason is much bigger—it’s about the return of Christ.

Through this lens, we see six reasons to intentionally build up our brothers and sisters in Christ:

1. The day of the Lord is coming. 
2.  This shouldn’t surprise us.
3. We’re children of the light and of the day, not the darkness or night.
4. Since we know Jesus is coming, we need to watch for Him.
5. As we watch, we need to protect our hearts with faith and love and our minds with the hope of our salvation.
6. Because of Jesus, our destiny is hope, not wrath.

When the “one anothers” around us are wilting under the weight of brokenness, when hope feels far off . . . we have a plan for that. Encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.