Photo taken in Colorado.

Author: Elton Streyle, Contributor: Noah, Photography and Editing: Ali

Heavenly Father, I come before Your glorious throne today in Jesus’ Name to give You praise and thanks for the life You have offered me to live in a way encouraging to others. You have given me an opportunity to rid myself of my old, tattered, sinful ways and accept the perfection of Jesus Christ as my own.

It is not always easy to be an encouraging person, but thank you for Your instruction in the Bible in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22. This scripture gives me a beautiful picture of what life should look like in the Christian community. Lead me into patience and encouragement for those who are weak and fainthearted.

Verse 14: “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.” Give me a heart to not seek revenge, but rather to do good to others in love. Verse 15: “See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.”

Your Word has a lot to say about the work of the Holy Spirit in a Christian’s life. Therefore, direct me to cooperate with Him in whatever He wants to accomplish in and through me. Zechariah 4:6b “‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit.’” Verse 19: “Do not quench the Spirit.”

Develop in me a sensitivity about how my life will affect those in my personal family as well as those in the Christian community. Direct me to fulfill the point raised in verse 22. “Abstain from the appearance of evil” (KJV).

In order to practice all that You have laid out in these verses, develop in me the attitude of verse 17, “pray without ceasing,” and verse 16, “rejoice always.”

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.