I’m usually a pretty upbeat and optimistic guy. But I wasn’t earlier this week. The pressures of church planting have revealed a few weaknesses in my spiritual armor, reminding me that I still have a long way to go in finding my full satisfaction in Jesus rather than my current circumstances.

Earlier this week, as I was working and thinking about how I was going to accomplish all the tasks that needed to be accomplished, I began to get discouraged. I began wondering to myself, “What am I doing? Why am I here? Is all of this really worth it? Am I accomplishing anything at all?” It was a low point.

At the height of my complaining and questions, I received an email from a friend who has been a part of the core group of New City Church Milledgeville from close to the beginning. The title of the email was “Encouragement,” and here is a portion of what it said:

Philippians 1:3

…He [God] has used you tremendously. I thank the Lord every time I think of you and what you are doing in His name…I have a found a friend, and a spiritual example to look to. Someone who is not scared or ashamed of my dumbest questions and my toughest. You have been a massive tool in repairing my heart to Christ. I no longer just want a Savior from the threat of hell, but a Lord over everything I do, and a Savior to eternal life with the Creator! This is your fault, friend, and I thank you. You are continually in my prayers.

Praise Jesus Christ!

God used this email to remind me that He is in charge, and I’m not. He used it to bring me to repentance and brokenness over my sin of self-loathing. God used this encouraging word to do a powerful work in my heart and life that day.

Words of encouragement are powerful tools in the hand of God. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 commands us to “encourage one another, and build one another up” (ESV). God, in his perfect timing, used my friend and his email to encourage me at a time when I really needed it. You never know when a word of encouragement might be just what another brother or sister in Christ desperately needs.

Let’s be eager to encourage one another. Let’s not be shy about identifying evidences of grace in one another’s lives. In so doing, we will be faithful to the command of Scripture: “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV).