Strengthening Others

 We all get down sometimes. We need something or someone to lift us up. Our confidence can be shaken, even our confidence in the Lord. It is at those times that we need someone who cares to come and encourage us, to give us extra strength by their words and actions. As believers, we should always seek to be that kind of person as we see others in need.

Jonathan was an encourager for David. He was a strategic friend, and he knew just what to say to David to bring him strength for the days ahead. (I Samuel 23:16) Jonathan was King Saul's son, but he got up and went to David in the woods where he was hiding. Then, he did his best to encourage his friend and help him receive more strength for the battles of his life.

The Bible says that Jonathan "strengthened his hand in God." That was an idiom that meant to be an encourager for another person who's strength was fading. It means to assure the other person of the truth about God and about how God was with them, so they would not give up or have less faith in God, but more faith. When we know what another person is going through and we know the Lord, we can do that for them.

Also, this is a picture of giving our support to another person when they feel like they are all alone. The devil will try to make us think that everyone has deserted us in our time of need. That is usually not the case, but we can begin to feel isolated and neglected. That is when we need a fried who is willing to go into the woods to find us and build us up. I pray that we will all be this kind of friend to others.

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Tomorrow, I intend to read I Samuel 24-26.