Have you ever felt like giving up? Whether it’s a challenging relationship, financial struggles, health issues, or simply the weight of life pressing down, we all face moments when we wonder if we can keep going. In these times, we desperately need someone to come alongside us and offer encouragement – someone to be our Barnabas.
Video:
Audio only
When Life Feels Too Hard to Continue
Life has a way of overwhelming us. Sometimes it’s a single major crisis, but often it’s the accumulation of smaller struggles that finally breaks us down. We find ourselves at that rest stop of life, ready to throw in the towel and ask for a ride back home.
The truth is, we all have those moments where everything feels impossible. The hills seem too steep, the wind too strong, and our equipment inadequate for the journey ahead. In these moments, we need more than just our own determination – we need encouragement from others.
What Does the Bible Say About Encouragement?
Paul’s Story: From Persecutor to Apostle
Consider the Apostle Paul’s journey. Before his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus, he was Saul – a zealous persecutor of Christians who was “breathing murderous threats against the disciples.” After encountering Jesus, everything changed. He wanted to join the very people he had been persecuting.
But there was a problem: nobody trusted him. The early Christians wanted nothing to do with someone who had been throwing their friends in jail. Paul found himself isolated, unable to connect with the community he desperately wanted to serve.
Mark’s Story: The Quitter Who Came Back
Then there’s Mark, who started strong in ministry but eventually walked away when things got too difficult. He abandoned Paul and the others during a crucial missionary journey, leaving them when they needed him most. Later, when Mark wanted to rejoin the mission, Paul refused to take him along, viewing him as unreliable.
Both Paul and Mark faced rejection and discouragement at critical moments in their faith journeys. They needed someone to believe in them when others wouldn’t.
Who Was Barnabas and Why Does He Matter?
Enter Barnabas – whose real name was Joseph. The apostles gave him the nickname “Barnabas,” which means “son of encouragement.” This wasn’t just a casual nickname; it described who he was at his core.
Barnabas Believed in Paul
When no one else would trust the former persecutor, Barnabas stepped forward. He vouched for Paul’s genuine conversion and introduced him to the other apostles. Without Barnabas’s intervention, Paul might never have found his place in the early church.
Barnabas Gave Mark a Second Chance
Later, when Paul refused to take Mark on another missionary journey, Barnabas disagreed so strongly that he and Paul parted ways. Barnabas took Mark under his wing, giving him the second chance that Paul wouldn’t provide.
Think about this: without Barnabas’s encouragement, we might not have Paul’s letters that make up much of the New Testament, or Mark’s Gospel. One person’s willingness to encourage others changed the course of Christianity.
Why Do We All Need a Barnabas?
We Need Someone Who Believes in Us
Sometimes we need that person who can see potential in us that we can’t see in ourselves. When we’re ready to quit, we need someone to say, “I believe you can do this” or “I see something special in you that God wants to use.”
We Need Someone Who’s Been There
Encouragement often comes from those who have walked similar paths. They understand the struggle because they’ve faced their own challenges. Their presence reminds us that we’re not alone and that others have made it through difficult times.
We Need Customized Encouragement
While sermons, books, and other resources can provide general encouragement, there’s something powerful about personalized support. When someone knows your specific situation and speaks directly into your circumstances, it carries unique weight and relevance.
How Can We Be a Barnabas to Others?
Look for Those Who Need Encouragement
Being a Barnabas starts with awareness. Who around you is struggling? Who needs someone to believe in them? Sometimes it’s the person who made mistakes and needs a second chance. Other times it’s someone who’s facing their first major challenge and doesn’t know if they can handle it.
Offer Specific, Personal Support
Generic encouragement has its place, but specific encouragement hits differently. Instead of saying “hang in there,” try “I see how hard you’re working, and I believe God is going to use your perseverance in amazing ways.”
Be Willing to Take Risks
Barnabas took risks by vouching for Paul and by giving Mark a second chance. Sometimes being an encourager means putting your own reputation on the line for someone else’s potential.
What Does Scripture Teach About Encouragement?
In 1 Thessalonians, Paul writes to a church facing persecution and death. His response isn’t to minimize their struggles but to remind them of their hope in Christ’s return. He concludes with this instruction: “Therefore encourage one another with these words.”
Paul understood that encouragement isn’t about pretending everything is fine. It’s about reminding each other of God’s faithfulness and our ultimate hope, even in the midst of real suffering.
The phrase “encourage one another” appears repeatedly in Paul’s letters. It’s not a suggestion but a command – something essential to healthy Christian community.
Why Community Matters for Encouragement
Doing Life Together Creates Opportunities
When we try to live our faith in isolation, we miss out on both giving and receiving encouragement. Real community puts us in position to see when others are struggling and to receive help when we need it.
We Can’t Encourage What We Don’t See
Surface-level relationships don’t provide opportunities for meaningful encouragement. When we only interact with people at church on Sunday mornings, we miss the struggles they face Monday through Saturday.
Encouragement Works Both Ways
Often, the act of encouraging others becomes a source of encouragement for us. When we step outside our own problems to help someone else, we gain perspective on our own situation and experience the joy that comes from serving others.
Life Application
This week, challenge yourself to be intentional about encouragement in two specific ways:
First, identify your Barnabas. Who has been that person of encouragement in your life? Take time to thank them, either in person, through a call, or in a heartfelt note. Express specifically how their encouragement impacted you.
Second, look for someone who needs you to be their Barnabas. Is there someone in your life who’s struggling, who’s made mistakes and needs a second chance, or who simply needs to know that someone believes in them? Take a concrete step this week to encourage that person.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Who has God used to encourage me during difficult times, and how can I express gratitude to them?
- Who in my current circle of relationships might need encouragement that I’m uniquely positioned to provide?
- Am I living in community with others in a way that allows for both giving and receiving encouragement?
- How can I move beyond surface-level relationships to the kind of community where real encouragement can happen?
Remember, encouragement isn’t just about making people feel better – it’s about helping them see what God sees in them and giving them strength to continue their journey of faith.