Encouragement in a Critical Age
Learning to Cultivate Eyes to See the Evidence of Grace in Others
Paul’s opening thanksgiving for the Corinthian church sounds shocking, particularly when the letter addresses many problems and that those in the church challenged Paul’s apostolic authority. Yet despite their fraught relationship, Paul opens his letter not with a rebuke but with thanksgiving. He writes,
“I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:4–9, ESV)
Paul directs his thanksgiving towards God because he sees God’s grace given to the Corinthians. With all their faults, as Paul looks at the Corinthian church, he doesn’t see their blemishes but God’s grace. Paul will address the challenges in the Corinthian church, but before he does so, he gives them encouragement in the form of thanksgiving.
He encourages them about their growth— “enriched in him in all speech and knowledge.”
He encourages them about their assurance of salvation— “even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you.”
He encourages them in their giving—”you are not lacking in any gift.”
He encourages them with the hope of the Lord’s return— “as you await for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
He encourages them with the promise of perseverance— “Who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
He encourages them with God’s faithfulness— “God is faithful.”
He encourages them in their fellowship with Christ— “by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
A critical spirit quickly finds fault in others. We live in a cynical age that often shapes how we view others. But a jaded attitude will obsess over the splinter of weakness in a brother’s eye and ignore the log of sin in our eye.
Sin needs to be addressed. Errors need to be corrected. Problems must find solutions. Paul will deal with all that in his letters to the Corinthians. But before he tackles the issues, he affirms them in his love and encourages them in the gospel.
One of the most important habits we can develop, especially in our local churches, is to grow in giving encouragement. Encouragement is not flattery. Flattery aims to impress another by stroking their pride. But biblical encouragement recognizes the evidence of God’s grace in another and draws it to the person’s attention with words.
To offer this encouragement, we must have the Holy Spirit train our ability to observe God’s grace in others. We must be in close proximity with others to recognize what God’s Spirit is doing in the life of another. Our lingering sins are often what’s most notable about us. In our pride, we can rather easily observe shortcomings. But training your heart to observe grace and growth requires that you put a muzzle on your inner critic.
Encouragement has a powerful effect on both the giver and receiver of encouragement. On the giver, it helps to slay our pride. It kills a competitive spirit and our tendency to exalt ourselves over others. On the receiver, encouragement can be life-giving. Many Christians struggle with discouragement, are frustrated by their lack of progress and have difficulty discerning how the Lord is sanctifying them. But encouraging weary saint strengthens them to press on in the faith. It spurs thanksgiving within your heart that others see your progress (1 Tim 4:15), even though you have difficulty seeing it yourself.
At our elders’ meeting, we devote time every month to pray for an elder. The brother gives an update on his life, his spiritual habits, and his struggles. But at our last meeting, we also added the offering of encouragement. Each of the elders went around the table and vocalized the evidence of grace they saw in our brother. It was sweet to hear others offer encouragement, but it is a joy to receive it. Vocalizing encouragement has a way of spurring us to give thanks to God together and knitting our hearts more sweetly in Christian love.
And remember, we encourage because we serve a God of encouragement. “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ro 15:5–6).