Notes on Hope Devotional

Strengthen and Encourage

1 Thessalonians 3:2, 3
2 And we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker[a] in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you concerning your faith, 3 so that no one will be shaken by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are appointed to this.  

Over the weekend, I was able to be a part of a women’s retreat at my church. As I looked around, I saw women serving and using their gifts; it was a display of coming together as coworkers to “strengthen and encourage” each other in our faith. As these two verses in 1 Thessalonians 3 describe, we are called to be “God’s coworkers”.

In observing the gifts of women, I saw the speakers use their gifts of words to give a “word aptly spoken” to our weary souls. I saw beauty and design on the tables where we sat and shared a meal. There was evidence of curating the food and drinks for us to enjoy with excellence and care.  It was like an orchestra where all the instruments play their individual notes and create a beautiful piece of music.

At times, we don’t feel like we are “enough” to be called God’s coworker. Yet, we are invited to use our gifts to help the Body of Christ grow. We don’t do it alone. We are given the Holy Spirit, who dwells in us and is the Source of strength to do all we do. Using our gifts is a demonstration of “strengthening and encouraging one another concerning our faith.”

There’s a lovely quote by author Madeleine L’Engle where she says we are called to co-create in her book, And It Was Good: Reflections on Beginnings, “God created, and it was joy: time, space, matter. There is and we are part of that is-ness, part of that becoming. That is our calling: co-creation. Every single one of us, without exception, is called to co-create with God.”

Without exception, we are called by God to strengthen and encourage one another.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for calling me your daughter. Help me see myself through Your eyes, that I am called by You to be a co-worker in your kingdom. Let Your strength be on display in me.  Thank You. In Jesus Name, Amen.