Encouragement
Encouragement
I have often spoken to you about the victorious, the triumphant, in their spiritual life and in their relationships with God and people. Today I would like to speak to you about the weak and the fallen, and what ought to be offered to them in the way of encouragement. Encouragement is a great virtue. About it the Scripture says: “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are idle, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.” (1 Thess. 5:14). This first group needing encouragement are the weak and the faint-hearted.
The weak and the faint-hearted
The faint-hearted are those whose inner morale has collapsed, whose souls have become small in their own eyes so that they feel helpless and are close to despair. These need encouragement; they need someone to take their hands and raise them up so they do not fail and perish. Likewise, the weak need someone to support and strengthen them.
For whoever despises a weak one, avoids him, scorns or mocks him as a failure or lost person, thereby abandons him to his weakness with no helper, so he perishes and continues in his falling or sins. But Scripture says: “He who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and hide a multitude of sins.” (James 5:20).
Your weak brother who falls every day — try to rescue him from his weakness and restore him. Even if you struggle with him and see no result and he persists in weakness and falling, do not grow weary of working for him, do not cast him from before your face, but encourage him to rise. Bear in mind that his rising may require time and will require patience from you.
Sins that have settled in the soul for a long time and become habit or nature — do not expect that this weak person will be rid of them quickly, however convincing your speech may be. Therefore the Apostle not only says “support the weak” but also “be patient with all.” A person enslaved to smoking, for example, may be fully convinced of its harm but still be unable to free himself. He needs your support in prayer, your counsel and encouragement, and your patience; do not despair of his salvation and neglect him.
Sin that has rooted deeply in the soul and taken hold of feeling and will may weaken a man’s resistance, especially if fierce assaults of demons press from without while inward inclination to sin remains; resistance weakens — this needs your encouragement. Much rebuke aimed at a weak person may crush him. Such a one needs grace, not only blame. Perhaps the Apostle’s word applies: “For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.” (Rom. 7:19–20). This person is bound with chains of habit, nature, and desire. The Apostle says: “Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.” (Heb. 13:3).
Try to encourage the bound one and help him break his chains, being convinced that we all are under weakness. If you helped him and found him lax about his salvation, or of weak will — rising then falling repeatedly — do not despise his weakness but remember: “Strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble.” (Heb. 12:12). The “weak hands” are those unable to do anything; the “maimed knees” unable to stand or move. Both together portray the whole man’s incapacity.
Perhaps Paul took this phrase from Isaiah: “Strengthen the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.” (Isa. 35:3). Job’s friend Eliphaz testified to such a work: “Thou hast comforted many, and strengthened the weak hands.” (Job 4:3). The greatest example is said of our Lord Jesus: “A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench.” (Matt. 12:20). This pleased the Father, who said of Him: “My chosen, in whom My soul delights… A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench.” (Isa. 42:1,3) — that is, He does not cut off the hope of anyone; though a reed be bruised He may bind it and make it stand; though a wick smoke, He may breathe on it and kindle it.
So encourage everyone; do not discourage anyone’s zeal. Scripture says: “Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise.” (Micah 7:8). How easily a fallen person can arise by counsel, encouragement, patience, and the working of grace. Micah continues: “When I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.” Truly, speech that overflows with hope and encouragement fortifies the heart and spurs it to rise no matter how often it has fallen. The Proverbs say: “A righteous man falls seven times, and rises up again.” (Prov. 24:16). If the fallen one falls into despair, remind him of this verse. Beware of judging him in his fall.
“He is accountable to his master whether he stands or falls; but he shall be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.” (Rom. 14:4). Tell him: even if you do not want your salvation, God wants your salvation, and He is able to save you. God “giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.” (Isa. 40:29). He “came to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10) — this phrase comforts deeply. He did not say: He saves those who were only weak or who fell — He saves those who were lost. He came for such people. Of His mission Isaiah said: “He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.” (Isa. 61:1). Yes, Christ came for the poor, the broken in heart, the captives and prisoners — bringing good news, words of encouragement; He calls for deliverance and release, to loose their bondage. He says also: “To comfort all that mourn; to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” (Isa. 61:2–3).
This is His work as a compassionate shepherd toward His flock no matter how they have erred, been wounded, or broken. He says: “I feed my flock, I gather the lambs with My arm, and carry them in My bosom… I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and bind up that which was broken.” (Ezek. 34:15–16). Keep this verse and encourage the lost, the driven away, and the broken-hearted whom the enemy has wounded. He goes about seeking them to bring them back and give them rest. Therefore, when you meet one of them, say to him:
Do not fear. You are not alone. God will not leave you; He will send you special grace and will seek you out.
The fallen
He sat with publicans and sinners and said: “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:32). “They that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.” (Luke 5:31). If you are among these sick ones, sinners, lost and driven away, broken and wounded — be sure Christ came for you. He rejoices “more over one sinner that repenteth than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.” (Luke 15:7).
How beautiful was what the Lord did with harlotous Jerusalem in Ezekiel 16 — finding her cast out in her blood and trampled — He did not abandon her but said: “I spread My skirt over you and covered your nakedness… I washed you with water… I anointed you with oil… I put bracelets on your hands, and a chain on your neck… I set a crown of beauty upon your head; you were exceeding beautiful, and became a kingdom.” (Ezek. 16:6–14). This is God’s method: He encourages sinners onto the path of repentance, strengthening them and promising them beautiful things. He says: “I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean… I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit will I put within you… I will take away the heart of stone… and I will give you an heart of flesh… I will put My Spirit within you… and ye shall walk in My statutes.” (Ezek. 36:25–27).
So encourage: your salvation is not mainly your work but chiefly God’s work in you. Hence the Apostle: “If we are faithless, yet He remaineth faithful; He cannot deny Himself.” (2 Tim. 2:13). The Lord chose Mary Magdalene (from whom He cast out seven demons) and made her one of His own and appeared to her after the Resurrection and commissioned her to tell the apostles (Mark 16:9; Matt. 28:10). He chose Matthew the tax-collector as one of the twelve, had compassion on Zacchaeus and declared: “This day is salvation come to this house.” (Luke 19:9). When asked about cutting down a barren fig tree, He said: “Leave it another year.” (Luke 13:8) — give it another chance: “I will dig about it and dung it: and if it bear fruit…” (Luke 13:9). He not only encourages but stands at the door and knocks (Rev. 3:20).
He encourages the weak, the sinners, and even the despairing.
The despairing
A chief example of encouraging the despairing is Moses’ word to the people when they were hemmed in between the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s chariots: “Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord… The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” (Exod. 14:13–14). Likewise David in Psalm 3, when enraged by many enemies who said “There is no help for him in God,” turned his heart to the Lord and exclaimed: “But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he answered me out of his holy hill.” (Ps. 3:1–4).
How beautiful are the psalms of encouragement — e.g., “The Lord will answer thee in the day of trouble…” (Ps. 20). I have published a book of meditations on this psalm full of hope and encouragement. Read also Psalm 123 (“Except the Lord had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence”), which sings of deliverance like a bird from the snare. All the psalms brim with encouragement. Even those who despaired long, the Lord encouraged and gave hope by coming to them — as when He came in the fourth watch of the night to save the disciples (Matt. 14:25).
The fearful
Many stood fearful, even about their calling to service; the Lord did not reject them for fear and weakness but encouraged, reassured, and strengthened them. Examples include Moses, who feared because he was slow of speech: “I am of uncircumcised lips… I am not eloquent.” (Exod. 4:10; 6:30). The Lord encouraged him, gave him Aaron as a helper, and said: “I will be with thy mouth and with his mouth… and he shall be thy spokesman.” (Exod. 4:17).
Jeremiah feared and said: “I cannot speak, for I am a child.” (Jer. 1:6). But the Lord encouraged him: “Say not, I am a child; for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee… fear not their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee.” (Jer. 1:7). He greatly raised his spirits: “Behold, I have made thee a strong city, an iron pillar… and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail: for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to save thee.” (Jer. 1:18–19).
Joshua was afraid after Moses’ death; the Lord encouraged him: “Be strong and of good courage… for I will not fail thee nor forsake thee… Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid… for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” (Josh. 1:5–9). So the Lord encouraged Jacob when he feared meeting Esau, strengthened him, appeared to him, and gave him opportunity to strive and prevail (Gen. 32:28). Earlier, on his flight, Jacob saw the ladder and heard God say: “I am with thee, and will keep thee whithersoever thou goest…” (Gen. 28:15).
Our God’s method of encouragement is constant. He encouraged not only the weak, captives, sinners, fearful, and despairing but also those who have little. As we pray in the Liturgy, “those of much and those of little.” The Lord taught this lesson. He blessed the widow who cast in the two mites, saying she cast more than all (Mark 12:43–44) — she gave all her living out of her want. He encouraged the penitent thief at the eleventh hour, not rebuking his delay or his past but saying in love: “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43).
The Fathers said: even one grain in a cluster brings blessing, for the vine’s sap still flows in it. Isaiah says: “As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it.” (Isa. 65:8). Many children were accepted by the Lord and their simple gifts: He said, “If these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.” (Luke 19:40). He received the children: “Suffer little children to come unto me…” (Matt. 19:14). From a child’s five loaves and two small fishes He made a great miracle (John 6:9–14).
Encouragement for the intractable cases
He gave sight to the man blind from birth (John 9), healed the impotent at Bethesda who waited thirty-eight years (John 5), the man with the withered hand (Matt. 12:10,13), the woman with the issue of blood (Matt. 9:20–22), and cleansed lepers, healed blind, lame, and the possessed (Matt. 4:24) — even raised the dead. Thus He encouraged the sick: there is no despair and nothing impossible.
He rescued Daniel from the lions’ den (Dan. 6), the three young men from the furnace (Dan. 3), and in many marvelous deliverances He opened the door of hope for everyone. In speaking of encouragement we also recall God’s promises — all of which are hope and encouragement that fortify the spirit and kindle expectation: “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” (Matt. 28:20). “Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands.” (Isa. 49:16). “Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” (Matt. 10:30). “A hair of your head shall not perish.” (Luke 21:18). “It is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.” (Matt. 10:20). How beautiful are the many promises in the Psalms.
May we, from all these examples, learn how to encourage everyone whatever their state, granting them hope by which they are strengthened and their wills are renewed. Thus we shall save souls from despair and ruin.
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