After thirty years of pastoral ministry, I still get butterflies in my stomach whenever I’m about to step into the pulpit. Preaching the Holy Scriptures is both a glorious privilege and also a weighty responsibility. No wonder the prophets of old referred to the Lord’s message as “the burden of the word of the Lord” (Mal. 1:1; cf. Jer. 23:28).
Yesterday morning, the burden felt extra heavy as I was about to preach a difficult text — not because it is hard to understand, but because it’s hard to accept. Plus I knew that I had to bring up a specific point of application that could be a highly sensitive issue for many in the congregation.
But a short while after I awoke and was prayerfully reviewing my sermon notes, I received two short messages from two different pastor-friends. The first message was a text from a former professor and coach from my Bible college days. We reconnected a few years ago at a pastors’ conference, and every since then he’s sent me an encouraging text almost every Sunday morning. Today’s text said,
“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing” (1 Thess. 5:11). “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you” (1 Sam. 12:23). Holding the rope for you today, brother. May you be courageous, confident, and clear in serving our Lord today. And may He grant you grace to see the reward of your faithfulness.
These three characteristics — “courageous, confident, and clear” — are exactly what I needed as I preached, and my friend was praying for that specifically on my behalf. Knowing that encouraged me and emboldened me!
Moments later I received another message (via Facebook Messenger) from a pastor-friend at a nearby church who sent me a quote from George Whitefield, the 18th century open-air evangelist, who said,
Sometimes preaching can bring honor we weren’t expecting: I was honored today with having a few stones, dirt, rotten eggs, and pieces of dead cat thrown at me.
True, we usually don't think of being “honored” in such a fashion, but Whitefield’s testimony is utterly consistent with Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:11-12:
Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
The quote from Whitefield made me smile, as I thought that it was unlikely that anyone would be throwing pieces of a dead cat at me as I preached! Indeed, countless messengers of the Lord have suffered far more greatly than I ever have. And even if I were to suffer such ridicule and rejection, I would be honored indeed, for I would find myself in the company of the apostles and prophets, and my Lord Jesus himself.
The reason I’m sharing these tidbits with you is because it goes to show how a timely word of encouragement can make the difference in a person’s day. Scripture says, “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad” (Prov. 12:25).
Last month I wrote an article entitled “Prompted to Pray.” The main point was that we never know how the Holy Spirit might be working in a given situation, and how he uses our prayers to accomplish his purpose. So always respond to every impulse to pray. I would extend this same principle to words of encouragement.
Proverbs 25:11 says, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” It’s the auditory equivalent of an attractive centerpiece that catches and pleases the eye. It is God’s gift to a specific person at the very moment that he or she needs it.
Who could use an encouraging word today? Why not be the one to deliver it? Be God’s messenger of mercy!