Encouraged in Heart

Discouragement, a deep seated feeling of hopelessness leading to giving up, is one of the strategies the devil tries to use to get us to give up on God and the grace he offers through Jesus. We have an example in the New Testament recorded by Paul in 2 Corinthians, a letter to the Corinthian church.

Paul had to correct the whole church for allowing sin to remain uncorrected to the point the gospel of Jesus was being hindered. They were instructed to treat the sinning member as an unbeliever. This didn't mean they ignored him or treated him harshly; they were to treat him as respectfully as any unbeliever of their acquaintance. They were to show him he was not living the changed life of a follower of Christ by not allowing him to participate in those activities reserved for those who were part of Christ's church. They were to stop enabling the behavior. You can read the story in 1 Corinthians 5:1-13. The result of following Paul's instruction was the eventual re-instatement of this brother in Christ to full fellowship. You can read this account in 2 Corinthians 1:21-2:1-11.

He prefaces this section with a reminder that our salvation is by grace; we don't earn it (2 Corinthians 1:21-24.) Then he goes on to praise them and ask them to encourage the repentant brother:

The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him.
2 Corinthians 2:6-8

In verse 11 Paul reminds them this forgiveness and acceptance is so "that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes."

Paul wrote to the Colossian church, "My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:2-3).

Both "comfort" in the letter to the Corinthians and "encouraged" used in the letter to the Colossians are translated from the same Greek word, parakaleo, meaning "to call to one’s side." In other verses, a related word paraklesis, meaning "a calling to one's side" is often translated as "encouraged" or "encouragement."

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word "chazaq" in the KJV is translated "encourage" or "encouraged." This word "as a verb, means 'to be strong, strengthen, harden, take hold of [by one’s own strength].'" In contrast, the New Testament message is one of being given strength by someone who comes alongside to share and to ease another's difficulty. There is a dual effort in having one's heart encouraged by steps individuals can take along with the help given by another, first of all by God and also by other people.

In one Old Testament example God instructed Moses (Deuteronomy 1:38), "Encourage him [Joshua], because he will lead Israel to inherit it [the good land God promised to Israel.]" In this case, Moses was given the responsibility to prepare Joshua to replace him as Israel's leader into the Promised Land. He repeated this instruction in Deuteronomy 3:28.

This same word is used as a blessing for "those whose strength is in you [God] Psalm 84:5 NIV.)”

• David “encouraged himself in the LORD his God" (1 Samuel 30:6 KJV).
• Hezekiah "commanded the people who dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might be encouraged in the law of the Lord" (2 Chronicles 31:4 KJV).
• When Josiah prepared to keep the Passover in Jerusalem, "he set the priests in their charges [duties] and encouraged them to the service of the house of the LORD….Serve now, the LORD, your God, and his people, Israel" (2 Chronicles 35:1-3 KJV).

We can find encouragement by putting our trust in God's faithfulness, by learning and doing God's will as expressed in the holy scriptures, and by doing the work God has given each of us to do. Our greatest encouragement comes as God's gift to us, the Holy Spirit who will come along side us to strengthen us for the work God has given us to do (John 16:7-15; Acts 9:31; 11:19-24; 14:21-22; 20:1-3).

Because we are encouraged, strengthened by God, we are able to encourage one another by standing with each other in all circumstances, good and not so good (Hebrews 10:23-25) not only in worship services, but also any day with any of our brothers and sisters in Christ who need encouragement (Hebrew 3:12-14). Some people have been given the spiritual gift of encouragement (Romans 12:8) beyond what we are able naturally to do. Paul wrote to the Thessalonian church reminding them of how the apostles "dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory" (1 Thessalonians 2:11-12).

Encouragement isn't merely to make us feel good, which it does, but encouragement is to strengthen us to live holy lives which honors God and causes others to honor God (1 Peter 2:11-12).