And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.  Hebrews 10:24 NIV

Have you noticed that God usually doesn’t do things the way we would?

When God wants to work in our lives, He can change us instantly, in His power.  I’d like that. But God usually changes us over time, and He uses others to help and encourage us along the way.

My friend Heather likens the process to a good cleaning of a dirty room.  She says:

“At first, God shined a low power light [into my life] and allowed me to ‘clean-up’ what I saw that was obvious. Then He used a brighter bulb, and I was able to attend to the clutter and dirt in the newly seen edges of my being. My support team [isn’t] afraid or shocked by my mess. They lovingly pick up brooms, mops, and dust pans and begin to help me clean up the debris and broken pieces. God lovingly shines light in the areas that need attention and surrounds me with people who are helping me clean out the areas that are too difficult to tackle on my own.”

Thankfully, we don’t make this journey toward Christlikeness alone, but with others who follow Jesus, what Heather calls her “support team.”

“Spur one another on,” the Bible book of Hebrews exhorts us (Hebrews 10:24). “Warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone,” says 1 Thessalonians 5:14 (NLT). Jesus-followers are “…to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love” (Colossians 2:2 NLT).

God works in each of us in His time. But He also uses fellow Jesus-followers to encourage us along the way!

 

Resource reading: Philippians 2:1-3