Therefore...

"Therefore encourage eachother with these words." I Thessalonians 4:18 The prefix "en" means to cause a person to be "in". In other words, when we encourage one another, we cause one another to be "in" a state of courage. There are so many, many experiences we have to face in our everyday lives. Some of us are extroverts and some are introverts. Each face those experiences in a different way. What causes anxiety in one may not cause it in another. Thank God we are not all the same. And thank God that he is familiar with all of our ways. Our personalities were designed by him within our mother's wombs. There are different things that affect our personalities and sometimes they seem altered. He promises to "perfect that which concerns us". Psalm 138:8 As we walk with him and allow that perfecting, he is able to restore us to a place of his original design. In other words, he sets us free to be who we were meant to be in Him. He uses each of our brothers and sisters to aid in that work. "As iron sharpens iron so one man/woman sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17. We can actually partner with the Lord in the work he is doing not only in our own lives but in the lives of others. As we are "en" couraged through the Word, we can "en" courage others in the truth that, "We can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us" Philippians 4:13. I love the story of Joshua. Joshua was to keep God's Word in his heart and on his lips and to be strong and courageous as opposed to being terrified and discouraged. The reason for the courage: God would be with him always. The victory was his. Be "in" courage today no matter what you are facing from the smallest to the greatest endeavor. God is with you! Blessings!