Encouraging Others in Struggles with God's Sovereignty
Encouraging Others in Struggles with God's Sovereignty
When believers struggle to understand God's sovereignty, especially in times of affliction, they need encouragement and support from their community. The Bible provides a foundation for this encouragement, with passages like Psalms 44:5, which expresses trust in God's power to overcome adversaries [1]. Similarly, Psalms 35:1 urges God to take action against those who oppose the psalmist [2].
The apostle Paul's writings offer insight into how to encourage others. In 1 Thessalonians 2:12, Paul writes about encouraging and comforting the Thessalonians, urging them to live in a manner worthy of God [4]. This encouragement is not limited to words; it involves supporting one another in practical ways. Torrey's Topical Textbook lists various ways to support the afflicted, including praying for them, sympathizing with them, and relieving their needs [5].
The concept of God's sovereignty is closely tied to the idea of comfort and encouragement. According to John Gill, God's presence in the midst of his people is a source of strength and comfort [7]. In Psalms 121:2, Gill notes that the psalmist's help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth [8]. This understanding of God's sovereignty can be a source of encouragement for believers facing challenges.
In times of struggle, believers can find comfort in the knowledge that God is with them and that they are not alone. As Torrey's Topical Textbook notes, God is a refuge and strength to his people, and he comforts them in their afflictions [3]. The Holy Spirit also plays a role in encouraging believers, helping them in their infirmities, as John Gill explains in his commentary on Romans 8:26 [9].
The early Christian church provides examples of how believers can encourage one another. John Chrysostom, in his homilies on Galatians, Colossians, and Thessalonians, emphasizes the importance of weeping with those who weep and assisting those in need [6]. He encourages believers to make war with their enemies through prayers and supplications, citing examples from the Old Testament [10].
The book of Hebrews offers encouragement to believers who are facing spiritual exhaustion. The author urges them to strengthen their weak hands and feeble knees, alluding to Isaiah 35:3-8 and Proverbs 4:26 [11]. This passage highlights the importance of supporting one another in the face of adversity.
Sources
- Psalms “Through you, will we push down our adversaries. Through your name, will we tread them under who rise up against us. -- Psalms 44:5”
- Psalms “Psalms 35:1 (BBE) — O Lord, be on my side against those who are judging me; be at war with those who make war against me.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Afflicted Saints — God is with -- Ps 46:5,7; Isa 43:2. God is a refuge and strength to -- Ps 27:5,6; Isa 25:4; Jer 16:19; Na 1:7. God comforts -- Isa 49:13; Jer 31:13; Mt 5:4; 2Co 1:4,5; 7:6. God preserves -- Ps 34:20. God delivers -- Ps 34:4,19; Pr 12:13; Jer 39:17,18. Christ is with -- Joh 14:18. Christ supports -- 2Ti 4:17; Heb 2:18. Christ comforts -- Isa 61:2; Mt 11:28-30; Lu 7:13; Joh 14:1; 16:33. Christ preserves -- Isa 63:9; Lu 21:18. Christ delivers -- Re 3:10. Should praise God -- Ps 13:5,6; 56:8-10; 57:6,7; 71:20-23. Should imitate Christ -- Heb 12:1-3; 1P”
- I Thessalonians “I Thessalonians 2:12 (BSB) — encouraging you, comforting you, and urging you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Afflicted, Duty Toward The — To pray for them -- Ac 12:5; Php 1:16,19; Jas 5:14-16. To sympathise with them -- Ro 12:15; Ga 6:2. To pity them -- Job 6:14. To bear them in mind -- Heb 13:3. To visit them -- Jas 1:27. To comfort them -- Job 16:5; 29:25; 2Co 1:4; 1Th 4:18. To relieve them -- Job 31:19,20; Isa 58:10; Php 4:14; 1Ti 5:10. To protect them -- Ps 82:3; Pr 22:22; 31:5.”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Galatians–Colossians–Thessalonians: propriety, with gravity, not so as to make exhibitions of ourselves; let us weep for these, not one day, or two, but all our life. Such tears spring not from senseless passion, but from true affection. The other sort are of senseless passion. For this cause they are quickly quenched, whereas if they spring from the fear of God, they always abide with us. Let us weep for these; let us assist them according to our power; let us think of some assistance for them, small though it be, yet still let us assist them. How and in what way?”
- Zephaniah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Zephaniah 3:17: The Lord thy God in the midst of thee [is] mighty Every word carries in it something very encouraging to the church and people of God; and is an antidote against those fears and faintings they are subject to; Christ "is in the midst of" them; near at hand to support and supply them, to assist and strengthen them, to protect and defend them; he is not only near by his essential presence, which is everywhere; and by his providential presence, which is concerned with all his creatures; but by his gracious presence, peculiar to his church and people; and which gives th”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 121:2: My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. Who helps his people out of the hands of all their enemies, and out of all their troubles and afflictions; he helps them in the performance of duty, in the exercise of grace, in bearing the cross, in fighting the Lord's battles, and on in their journey; he helps them to all blessings, temporal and spiritual; to all needful supplies of grace here, and glory hereafter; and this help he gives is quick and present, suitable and seasonable, is sufficient, and sometimes with, and sometimes without means; and they h”
- Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 8:26: Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities,.... The Spirit of God which dwells in us, by whom we are led, who is the spirit of adoption to us, who has witnessed to our spirits, that we are the children of God, whose firstfruits we have received, over and above, and besides what he has done for us, "also helpeth our infirmities"; whilst we are groaning within ourselves, both for ourselves and for others, and are waiting patiently for what we are hoping for. The people of God, all of them, more or less, have their infirmities in this life. They are not indeed weak”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on Galatians–Colossians–Thessalonians: to comfort his disciples; but we to reap some great and good fruit. And we are very confident, if ye all be willing with one mind to stretch forth your hands to God in behalf of our littleness, that you will succeed in all things. Thus let us make war with our enemies with prayers and supplications. For if thus the ancients made war with men in arms, much more ought we so to make war with men without arms. So Hezekiah triumphed over the Assyrian king, so Moses over Amalek, so Samuel over the men of Ascalon, so Israel 1075 1075 [F”
- Hebrews (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Hebrews 12:12: 12:12-13 The author, alluding to Isa 35:3-8 and Prov 4:26, encourages those who are emotionally and spiritually exhausted. According to Isa 35, God is in the process of defeating his enemies and is making a straight path for the righteous so that they will not fall.”