“When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.”

Romans 1:12

When I look at encouragement in the form of faith it takes on a new perspective.  It is no longer the pat on the back of a job well done or a note/card given in response for a good deed,  but something lived out and carried forth by example sharing with others.

In Chapter 1 in the book of Romans, we find Paul’s letter to the Romans sharing the Good News of Christ and expressing his wish to visit them to give them a spiritual gift that would help them grow strong in the Lord. (Rom 1:11) We then see Paul  write, “When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.”

I find this very interesting and a testament to the fact we are all encouragers and need encouragement. Paul was the big man on campus in a way. He traveled and shared the Good News of Christ, his own testimony, and motivated so many to press forward in their faith that it is hard to fathom the faith he saw bear fruit was needed to nurture and grow his faith! He was humble!

Faith in word only is misunderstood. We may say we have faith but our actions prove otherwise or we say we have faith and live it quietly under a bucket not to offend others. Faith is an encouragement to others and if we cannot see examples of faith being lived out, can our faith die?

Romans 1:17 says, “….It is through faith that a righteous person has life.” God is in everything whether big or small. When we see, hear, and engage with others around us, we see a bigger picture of who God is and what He has done in their lives. This is true for Paul too, his great sense of obligation to all people whether civilized or uncivilized, educated or uneducated, gave him a front seat seeing spiritual fruit take root and lived out which in turn encouraged him to continue spreading the Good News to others.

We all have a story and many similar to our own who are in need of support. Sadly, we see many who have given up on God and lost faith because they feel alone and forgotten in their struggle.  Satan wants us to hide in fear and keep secret our pasts but someone out there desperately needs your testimony to grow their faith and inspire them in their walk. The days of hiding from our past are over and must give way to our voices speaking light, life and help to those struggling so they may find hope to carry on through our experiences.

We are all in need of someone who has walked our walk and experienced our struggles to strengthen and give us hope. Will you speak life and hope to another so they may be encouraged and let God use the fruit that takes root to motivate and grow your faith?