Eternal and Everyday Encouragement – January 19, 2024

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
2 Thessalonians 2:16,17

Eternal and Everyday Encouragement

There are two kinds of encouragement the Lord gives us in our Bible verses today. One kind of encouragement is “eternal encouragement.” This is something God has already given us. Because we know Jesus is our Savior, we already have eternal encouragement. We are encouraged to know that God has a chair in heaven reserved for us with our name on it. This kind of encouragement is a done deal because Jesus has already died and risen from the dead for us. Our eternity is rock-solid and certain.

The other kind of encouragement God gives us is what we could call “everyday encouragement.” The apostle Paul prayed that the Lord would encourage the hearts of the Thessalonian believers. They had the eternal encouragement of heaven always in their hearts, but they also needed encouragement to face the trials of each and every day. They needed strength to carry out God’s will among their friends, neighbors, and even their enemies.

God gives you both eternal and everyday encouragement. You’ve got the big-picture hope of a life forever with Jesus. That kind of hopeful encouragement is always there. It is your safety net ready to catch you when big, bad things happen. But you’ve also got encouragement from God to live your everyday life according to his will. The Lord gives you his Word to be a lamp for your feet and a light for your path to make correct decisions. In his Word, God gives you countless stories of real people facing real situations so you can find something in common with one of them. You’ll also find favorite Bible passages that encourage you before a big test in life.

Whether you need big-time encouragement in the face of hardship or everyday encouragement for following God’s will for your life, God will have the kind of encouragement you need.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, you are the ultimate encourager for my soul. Keep me hopeful and encouraged for eternal life and everyday life. Amen.