Joyful Encourager

Very often in life, especially in professional life, one has to deal with conflicts, deadlines, vague goals, and a lot of grey area. Though one could be directly responsible for certain things, the attitude of “I want all things working and I want it now” can lead to a lot of stress and worry if unchecked. The Good Book repeatedly instructs us to rejoice even when the going gets tough, and it reminds us that there is no point in worrying, as it cannot add a day to our lives and, in fact, can make things worse than they actually are.

We often overlook the grace of time and faith and fail to understand that a seed doesn’t become a tree in a day. There is always a waiting time where we could do little or nothing, which can lead us to worry about the future. How can we learn to not worry while waiting and when there seems to be pressure?

Bible also teaches us to encourage one another (somewhere in the book of Romans), urging us to be stronger as a community (or a church). There are people in our lives to whom we are encouraging including close friends, siblings, or children, and there are also those who encourage us through timely and uplifting words. What does it mean to encourage one another, and how can we do it as God intends? Are joyfulness and encouragement related to each other?

Since being joyful and being encouraging are direct commands / instructions from God, these can be seen as traits of our Heavenly Father that we are called to imitate. Some synonyms of the word encourage include comfort, strengthen, and support, all of which point toward the same goal: giving someone hope.

Encouragement can be expressed through words, resources, or simply through presence. The presence of parents, for example, gives strong hope to their children. Children know they can return home and be safe when discouraged or hurt, trusting that their parents will care for them. In the same way, the consistent presence of trustworthy friends during times like a breakup or job loss can be deeply encouraging. An encouraged heart is a cheerful heart (somewhere in the Bible), and encouragement is both an act and a consequence of genuinely loving someone and wanting the best for them.

Scripture gives us examples of this kind of encouragement. Jonathan’s friendship with David during the time King Saul sought David’s life, and the mutual encouragement Paul and Silas experienced while imprisoned for the gospel, show us that encouragement often requires time, presence, and shared hardship.

Secondly, we are also invited to seek encouragement. Spending time in prayer and knowing that I am safe with God by my side is deeply encouraging in this precarious life. Seeking God’s word through the preachers is certainly encouraging, especially during difficult times. There is no match for the encouragement that comes from God, knowing that He loves me (Eph 2:8). These are words of truth that speak encouragement to our souls and give us hope.

Just as encouragement brings joy during difficult times, we can encourage others only if we ourselves are joyful. No one wants to be around a gloomy or pessimistic person. Joy reflects hope, and you can only give hope to someone when you yourself have hope. You give what you have.

1 Thessalonians 5:16–18: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Romans 12:12: “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

It becomes clear that effort is needed in two areas: being joyful and encouraging others. True joy can only be found in the Lord and not in anyone else, including ourselves, for the Lord is always good. Remembering the hope we have in the Lord Jesus gives us joy in difficult situations. Though there may be a tug of war with the inertia of the mind, patience and faith with joy will carry us through affliction.

At times, humour can also lighten heavy moments. Jesus calling James and John “sons of thunder” likely brought laughter and eased tension. Jesus often used parables and, at other times, simple and direct language to communicate truth effectively. These approaches carried encouragement to His listeners. May God grant us the wisdom to know when to use which aptly.

In order to encourage someone and give them hope, we must first have hope and be joyful. We must also love others and be willing to spend time with them. Often, this happens naturally in mentor-mentee relationships, where God’s truth is spoken with care.

Let us start by being joyful people and learning to speak the truth in appropriate ways, so that we may truly be joyful encouragers.