“May the God who gives
endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each
other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may
glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 15:5-6
Endurance
is the ability to carry on. To encourage is to inspire hope or confidence, to stimulate or spur on. This is what the Lord can and will do for
those who seek it. His very presence in
our lives brings its own hope and perseverance with it. Knowing who God is and who we are in Him can
be all it takes to spur someone on to do great things for the Kingdom.
Within
the church there’s a lot of contention and strife. Differences of opinion regarding none
spiritual issues tear some congregation apart, splitting some churches right
down the middle. Paul cautions the Roman
believers to have the same mind set Christ had when He walked this earth; a
selfless one. Giving of oneself to a
brother or sister in Christ in loving kindness can mend many a fence. There
needn’t be factions and cliques that can create a separatist attitude. Compromise may be necessary.
Loving
others as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it is appropriate and
necessary to have a healthy church. All
folks within the walls of the church building need to leave arrogance and divisiveness
at the door and look to those things that bind us all together. To encourage and edify or build up spiritually should be our
goal. If everyone took the time to bless
someone else instead of constantly looking to absorb blessings, we would all leave
spiritually refreshed. May God’s spirit
reign down over His children creating a spirit of unity and cohesiveness that
the world cannot penetrate. Until next time, walk with the King and be a
blessing!
Dictionary used: Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary
