Encouragement for the Fainthearted

In preparing for this week’s message, I remembered something that happened about 15 years ago. I was part of the Young Adult group here, and our teacher was Richard Valdivia, who is now an elder.

Richard noticed a strange, irritating rash on his skin. And like many of us might have done, he expected it to clear up on its own, but that’s not what happened. Rather than get better, it started to get worse, and I think it was even spreading.

So, Richard was compelled to make an appointment with a doctor. When he went in, he was met by a young man who came in wearing a mask and goggles. And while I’m sure some medical terms were used, the basic answer Richard got was, “I don’t know what this is. Here’s some medication that might help.”

So, Richard took the meds for 3 or 4 days, but nothing changed. Nothing got better, and we were all confused and concerned. With an unknown cause to a skin condition, someone even made the apt comparison to the story of Job.

Richard decided to go back to the doctor, and this time he met a different man. He was older, maybe near retirement. He didn’t have a mask; he wasn’t wearing goggles. And when Richard commented about that, the doctor said, “Well, I’m not touching anything I shouldn’t be.” He also looked at Richard and confidently said, “Son, you got poison oak.” And with that, Richard got the correct medication, and it all went away pretty soon.

The moral of the story is if you want to address a problem correctly, then you need to be able to identify what’s causing it. You need the right diagnosis if you want to move toward a solution.

And what makes sense in the medical realm, also makes sense in the spiritual realm. We are called to help one another, but that means we need to be able to identify what the real problem is. We need to make a proper diagnosis.

We might understand that principle intellectually, but then when we hear about or talk to someone, it’s easy to jump to conclusions. I know I do this many times. Rather than patiently gathering more information, I jump to a conclusion.

One helpful reminder when dealing with this topic is Proverbs 18:13. You need to know this and teach it to your kids. Proverbs 18:13 says this—If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame. One more time: If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.

The point there is you need to investigate. You need to diagnose the problem correctly, otherwise you are a shameful fool.

That is a good reminder as we come to the end of our study in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verse 14. Paul mentioned 3 groups of people that you and I are going to encounter in the church. These are not fixed labels on people; they are three possibilities that any of us can face at any time. But if you notice, each group gets a different response. The verse says—And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.

This is your responsibility as a member of the body of Christ: admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. These are all examples of people who are not thriving spiritually at the moment.

So, what do you do with them? First, you need to diagnose the problem; you need to understand the kind of person you are dealing with. Then, you need to have the appropriate response.

Last week, we looked at the first group. We talked about what it means to be idle—or negligent—and what it means to admonish. Today, we’ll be looking at the second category. I was originally going to do both, but I’ve decided not to do that. We are only going to look at the second category today. What does it mean to be fainthearted?

The Greek word is a compound word—oligópsuchos. This is the only time it’s used in the New Testament, but the components might be familiar to you. The first half of the word is olígos, which is connected to the word oligarchy. That is a form of government where only a small number of people are in power. Olígos means small or little.

The second half of the word is psuché, which is where we get the word psyche. The Greek word means soul; sometimes it’s translated “life” or “heart.” So, if someone is oligópsuchos, it means they have a small heart or a little spirit, in a figurative sense. Other English translations use the words discouraged or disheartened.

The first group, which we talked about last week, was characterized by a deliberate rebellion or laziness. This second group is a little different. They are more characterized by fear, sadness, and apprehension. They are worried. They are anxious. They feel overwhelmed by something, and it’s affecting their spiritual health.

Last week, I used the analogy of taking a group of small children on a hike through the woods. The first category would be the kids who don’t want to stay with the rest of the group. Instead, they’re throwing rocks at the birds and the squirrels. They’re playing hide-and-seek rather than walking up the hill.

This second category is different. They are also not staying with the group, but it’s not out of deliberate rebellion; instead, it’s out of fear. Maybe one kids thinks the forest looks scary or that he might get attacked by an animal. Or maybe something is going on at home, and it’s affecting his morale. There’s nothing physically wrong with that kid; he may even want to be with the group, but he is discouraged; he is anxious; he’s afraid. That’s what it means to be fainthearted.

So, what does this group need? They don’t need to be scolded. They don’t need to be berated into submission. Paul says they need to be encouraged. Encourage the fainthearted. What does that mean?

In English, “encourage” literally means to place courage inside someone else. That’s the idea here. You are using your words to calm their fears and give them confidence to continue. There may be an element of correction, but there is also an element of consoling or comforting. You’re trying to give this person a proper perspective so that they can overcome their concern and get back to what they’re supposed to be doing.

Now, just to make a note here, someone might be afraid of something, but not know what it is or express it explicitly. And someone might say they are afraid, but their stated fear is really covering up another problem. Proverbs 20 says a man’s heart is like water in a deep well. It takes wisdom to draw it out. It takes investigation. It takes a personal connection.

For example, Proverbs mentions a man who says he doesn’t want to go outside because he’s afraid he might get eaten by a lion. But Proverbs tells us that man is a sluggard. He’s being lazy. He’s using fear as a disguise for his rebellion and his laziness. So, again, don’t be quick to label someone.

But if you realize that someone is being held back because of fear, don’t assume that condition is less dangerous than open rebellion. Discouragement is a different kind of danger, but it is a danger nonetheless.

Jesus shared the story of the four different kinds of soil, and only one kind of soil had a harvest from the seed. That fruitful soil represented the heart that has true faith. The other three did not. One of the soils that had no harvest was filled with thorns that choked out the crop, and Jesus said what can choke out a person’s faith is the worries of the world. So, worry can be a real problem. And we need to be ready to address it in one another’s lives.

How do you encourage someone who is disheartened? Well, you need to talk to them. Ask them questions to help understand who or what it is that they’re afraid of. What are they holding on to that God has not called them to hold on to?

Once you identify their fear, you can give them more specific encouragement. And some of you are going to be much more effective at this than the rest of us, so we need you to help the rest of us do it better.

Encouraging someone is like the boxing coach who needs to convince his fighter to get back in the ring. It’s like a coach who needs his team to finish strong when there’s only a couple minutes left.

Paul said that was what his ministry was like toward the Thessalonians, only he used the analogy of a father. Look back at chapter 2 of the letter, verses 11 and 12. First Thessalonians 2:11-12.

For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

He encouraged them. He charged them. He didn’t want them to forget what was at stake. Yes, persecution was coming, but they needed to walk worthy of the God who had called them into His kingdom. He was telling them not to abandon their commitment.

The book of Hebrews has a similar message, and it’s much more direct. Persecution was leading some to walk away from the faith, so the author exhorts them to stay the course. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus who is greater than anything this world or the Old Covenant could offer.

The most important thing to remember, and I said this last week for admonition, is that the best help we can give someone is going to come from the word of God. We want to give biblical encouragement. And that’s what I want to do for the rest of our time today. I’m going to take the liberty of spending more time on this topic because I think it’s so important.

If you have an area of your life that’s difficult or challenging right now—if you feel disheartened in some way—pay attention. Let the word of God encourage you right now.

And if you’re not the discouraged type, then listen so that you can gain wisdom in how to encourage others from the Scriptures.

Jesus knew that His disciples would face many fears, but the most fundamental fear, I suppose, is the fear for your own life and for your own basic necessities.

In Matthew 6, in the middle of what we call the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said these famous words—Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on.

Do not worry. Do not be anxious. Why not? Don’t we need those things? Yes, we do. We need food and drink and clothing. But Jesus said that there’s more to life than that. And then he used the birds as an analogy. If God feeds the birds, don’t you think he’ll take care of you too? Don’t you matter more than the birds?

And then Jesus said, “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” In other words, what is all this worry going to accomplish. In fact, some studies have shown that people who worry more live shorter lives. It drains them.

Jesus also said, “Look, the flowers look beautiful. God did that. Don’t you think He’ll clothe you as well? Aren’t you more valuable than grass? Also, your heavenly Father knows what you need. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

That’s one way to help someone who is worrying. You can remind them it’s a sin. You can remind them it’s pointless. And you can remind them that their heavenly Father is watching over them. Those may seem like obvious truths, but when you’re gripped in some kind of fear, you forget. You need the reminder. Fear blinds you to the truth.

Another thing fear does is that it misaligns your priorities. It causes you to rearrange your priorities in an unhelpful way.

An Old Testament example might be King David when his son Absalom was killed in battle. He wept over him with a loud voice. But Absalom had opposed David’s authority. He was fighting against David’s armies, and he had killed David’s men.

And David’s general Joab had to come in and say to him, “Look, your grief is shaming us. We saved your life. We saved your kingdom. But now you’re sending out the message that you would have rather had us die and Absalom live. This is going to tear Israel apart. This is not a good look. Go, unite the people.” And David took that advice. He understood the bigger picture and reordered his priorities.

Another example of that is Martha, the sister of Mary. I’m sure many of you know the story. It’s found in Luke 10. Jesus arrives at Mary and Martha’s house, and Mary sits down at Jesus’ feet to learn from him.

Martha, on the other hand, felt compelled to take care of everything in the kitchen. She wanted to make sure everything was good for Jesus. She meant well, but it was wearing her out. And it turned into a bitterness.

She walks into the room, and she says to Jesus, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister isn’t helping. I’m doing this all by myself. Tell her to help me!”

And Jesus says to her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Martha thought her exasperation was legitimate. She thought it was justified, but Jesus said, “No. I know you feel tired, but you’ve got your priorities mixed up. Hospitality is good, but hearing from Jesus matters more.” That’s biblical encouragement, and some of us here today need to hear that.

You’re tired, but the problem might just be that you’re focused on the wrong thing. You’ve taken your eyes off what matters most. You’ve placed all these expectations on yourself, but they haven’t come from God.

Husbands and wives, moms and dads, pay attention to this in the life of your kids and in your spouse. Maybe they are starting to fall behind with some responsibilities. That happens. But it might not be because of outright rebellion. Maybe it’s because they’re tired and they’re disheartened. And maybe that’s because they’ve mixed up their priorities. They’re putting too much energy, mental or physical, into the wrong thing. Help them see that. Help them at least explore that possibility. Encourage them.

There are things that are within your control and within your required responsibilities, and there are things that aren’t. Sometimes, you need to let those other things go. Let God be the One who shapes what is expected of you, not the culture or not your own preferences.

Sometimes, inaccurate expectations will come from inaccurate theology. Some people are concerned or disheartened or embarrassed because they think they don’t measure up.

For example, if you think that being a Christian means life is going to be wonderful: your marriage will be great, your kids will be great, your finances will be great, and your health will be great. If that’s what you think, you’re in for a huge disappointment.

Some people who teach that will use Old Testament passages where God promises prosperity to those who are faithful and obedient. But many of those passages are part of God’s covenant with Israel. It’s an extension of the covenant with Abraham and Moses, and we are not the nation of Israel.

So, part of biblical encouragement is helping people understand the truth—the truth about God’s power and sovereignty and the truth about our responsibilities and our blessings. They need to be reminded that salvation can’t be lost, and Christ wins.

The Apostle Paul reminded the Corinthians about the final resurrection, and he said, “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

Keep doing what you need to be doing. God is going to reward you. We have the victory. The world rejects us, the world threatens us, but Jesus wins in the end, and we win with Him.

In the meantime, life is going to be difficult, but Christ is with us. First Corinthians 10:31 says we won’t be given more than we can handle. Jesus told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

In difficult times, our weakness is put on display so that we will draw nearer to Christ, depend on Him, and see His power at work.

In biblical encouragement, we are trying to help someone else see what they aren’t looking at. We are trying to help open their spiritual eyes so that the truth can overcome their fears.

During the ministry of Elisha, there was a time when an enemy king wanted to kill him. So, the king sent his army, chariots and horses, and they surrounded the city where Elisha was. This is in 2 Kings 6.

And the next morning, Elisha’s servant wakes up and he looks out at the city and sees this massive army lined up for battle all around. And he says, “Oh no! What are we going to do?” He was fainthearted.

And Elisha, I imagine very confidently, says to him, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

Was there an army of Israelites hiding in the city? No. Elisha was talking about God’s angelic army. Elisha prayed to God asking him to open the servant’s eyes, and he saw that the hill they were on was filles with fiery horses and chariots all around. Do you think that gave him confidence? Of course, it did! It reminded him of God’s power to fight for His people. We all need those kinds of reminders, especially when we are saddened or burdened in life.

Martin Luther, the German Reformer, was know for his great confidence in God’s sovereignty, but he also went through times of depression. One time, his depression was prolonged, and with his friends advice, he left town for a while to see if that would help. It didn’t help, and Luther still felt miserable.

Soon after, as he went into the living room, he realized that his wife Katharina was dressed in all black. Luther asked them, “Did someone die? Are you going to a funeral?”

Katharina answered, “No, but since you act as though God is dead, I wanted to join you in your mourning. My husband would never be in such a state of mind if he had a living God to trust in.”

As Spurgeon tells it, Luther burst out laughing, praised his wife’s wisdom, and said, “I have been acting as if God were dead, and I will do so no more. Go and take off thy black.”

She knew how to encourage her husband. She turned his eyes back onto the power of the living God. We all need to learn how to do that effectively in one another’s lives. God is near to the brokenhearted, and we should be too.

I didn’t mention any of the psalms today, but they are filled with reminders of God’s goodness and power. We can use them in our own life, but also in the lives of others. We can say to someone, “Why are you cast down? Hope in God! Hope in God!”

We need to shake one another from the mentality of a victim or from hopeless despair. We need to encourage one another.

As we do this, as God brings brothers or sisters into your path who are fainthearted and need encouragement, keep this final principle in mind: the goal is not to give them personal peace, simply so they can be comfortable. The goal is to restore them as a useful part of the body of Christ. Their faintheartedness has caused them to stop marching and battling for Christ, but God will use us to give them courage again.

As a member of the body of Christ, God is going to use you to help minister to other members of the body of Christ. That’s the message of Ephesians 4. the body builds itself up in love and in truth.

We remind one another of biblical truth, and we urge one another to stay on the path.

Lord willing, next week we’ll talk about helping the weak.