“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”

I Thessalonians 5:11

This world is not our home. We are merely passing through. It is a journey.To encourage one another is to give courage where it is needed. The Christian life requires moral courage. That’s where we come in. Encouragement can come through prayer or in speaking the truth in love, and through blessing others with words and deeds.

Life is like an elevator

When you are in an elevator and another person gets on, you say, “What floor?” If they tell you “2”, you know they want to get off on the 2nd floor. You know their destination and you know how they are going to get there. What if you don’t pay attention or you think they should get off on 4 (the 4th floor), so you push 4? You will have done them a dis-service. You are not the elevator operator. You merely pushed the buttons. But you have affected their lives one way or the other. Either for good or not.

Life is like a spiritual elevator

The same thing happens when you try to push someone to a level in their spiritual life before they are ready. They may do all the right things but their heart is not ready and they fall down. They will get discouraged. Some quit and fall away. Only the Lord knows when they are ready for the next “level” of their walk with Him.

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”

Ephesians 4:29

What are we to do?

• Discernment and encouragement are needed
• Encourage—give courage—to the fainthearted in each step they take toward maturity
• Look for ways to bless those who are floundering
• Discern what they are saying BEHIND the actual words
• Pray for them and with them
• TRUST that GOD is guiding them. YOUR job is to encourage and to bless and walk alongside with your “atta boys” ringing in their ears

GOD is the ELEVATOR OPERATOR

You are merely along for the ride in each person’s journey to their DESTINATION. TRUST them to take the right floor. GOD will take them there. Sometimes we just need to get out of the way.

Until next time…

Until next time,
Awaiting His shout,


Christian Life Coach
Leading from Your Strengths Mentor
www.loavesandfishescoaching.com