Day 7 - An Encouraging Faith

Posted by Brian Manning

Romans 1:8-12 (NLT) 

8 Let me say first of all that your faith in God is becoming known throughout the world. How I thank God through Jesus Christ for each one of you. 9 God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by telling others the Good News about his Son. 10 One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you. 11 For I long to visit you so I can share a spiritual blessing with you that will help you grow strong in the Lord. 12 I’m eager to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. In this way, each of us will be a blessing to the other.

Paul, in his letter to the Romans, talks about the importance of sharing our triumphs in faith with other believers.  Without question, our faith can and should encourage others.  Why is this so important?  We’ve all had times God has called us to take a step in faith.  Maybe it’s taking a new job, maybe it’s to move our family across the country, or maybe we need to have a conversation with someone we’ve wronged or has wronged us.  How do we know God’s calling us?  He uses others around us for confirmation.  Maybe it’s an illustration from Michael’s sermon, or someone in your small group sharing how they listened to God’s calling and responded in obedience to His will revealed for them.  God uses fellow believers in many ways to confirm His will for our lives.  The good news, however, is that He doesn’t rely solely on the believers around us.  He most often uses His Word.  The Bible is full of stories of individuals and groups of people who take steps in faith and are rewarded by becoming closer to fulfilling God’s purposes for their lives.

Our focus then must be on Him and how He continues to work in our lives.  And we must never miss an opportunity to praise and glorify Him publicly for the great things He has done through us.  We have fellow believers that depend on us to share with them and encourage them to take steps in faith.  

PRAYER:  “Heavenly Father, you deserve all the praise and glory for what you have done in my life.  I could never repay you, but I can respond by focusing on you and on how you want to work in my life.  God, I know that I need to share my triumphs in faith with others in my life.  Grant me the privilege of being a blessing to someone today as I seek to encourage others around me.  By your grace, Amen.”

POINT TO PONDER:  Our faith can encourage others.