March 30
Comfort
One Another
1 Thessalonians 4:18
Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Daily Steps
The ultimate purpose of knowing the truth about Christ's return and your future hope is not just for your own individual peace, but to be a source of comfort and strength to the community. For a new believer, sharing this peace with others solidifies your own faith.
The peace in this command is in its shared strength:
Shared Hope: The words referred to are the truths about the resurrection of the dead, the gathering of all believers, and the permanent presence of the Lord (from the verses preceding this one). These are the great certainties that conquer the fear of death and loss.
Active Encouragement: The word "encourage" literally means to "call alongside" to give strength. Your peace is meant to be relational. When you use the certain hope of the future to comfort a friend who is grieving, worried, or fearful, your own peace is deepened and confirmed.
Your future peace is secure, but it is not meant to be kept private. Actively sharing the comfort of Christ's return is the final act of faith that strengthens the entire community and cements your own eternal perspective.
Reflective Question
Who in your life (a friend, family member, or church member) is currently struggling with grief or fear about the future? How can you encourage them today by gently sharing the truth of the blessed hope and Christ's certain return?
Prayer
Lord, thank You for the great comfort of knowing my eternal future is secure in Christ. I pray for the courage to live out this peace in community. Show me who I can encourage with these glorious words of promise today, so that our shared hope may bring us both strength and deeper peace. Amen.
