Encouraging Faith

The other evening, I had the chance to enjoy a beautiful evening with some beautiful women in the home of a beautiful friend. We sat around a large island in her kitchen, full of Mexican food and our current read. We chatted about the book, our lives, and where we had seen God at work. There were moments of laughter and moments of tears. But the overarching feeling? It was uplifting, like we were building each other up simply by being together. In that moment, I thought of Paul in his letter to the Romans- longing to be encouraged by others' faith as much as he encouraged them (Romans 1:12). And I thought this, this is what Christian relationships should feel like.

It's more than just social time- it's spiritual oxygen. When we come together, we share faith, we lift each other up, and we find strength. Just like Paul yearned to be encouraged by fellow believers, we too thrive when we connect. In these gatherings, we share stories, laughter, even tears- and yet, we walk away with hearts fuller, faith stronger. That's why we gather: to mutually inspire and to be inspired.

Church is where we gather to learn about God and to worship Him together- to sit under His Word, to be reminded of who He is, and to realign our hearts toward Him. But fellowship is where that truth takes on flesh. It's where what we've learned begins to be lived out. We don't just hear about God's love there - we show it to one another through listening, encouraging, bearing burdens, and sharing life.

Around tables and kitchen islands, through conversation and compassion, our faith moves from something we receive to something we reflect. That's where belief becomes visible, and God is made known not only by our words, but by our actions toward each other.

This is exactly what Paul was expressing in Romans 1:12 when he wrote, "that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine." Paul- an apostle, a teacher, a man used mightily by God- still longed for the encouragement that comes from being with other believers. He didn't see fellowship as one-sided or optional. He understood that faith grows best when it is shared, strengthened, and stirred up through relationship.

That understanding gives deeper meaning to the instruction in Hebrews to not forsake the gathering together. It isn't merely a command to sit in the same room once a week- it's an invitation into connection. God designed us to need one another. To speak truth when someone feels weak. To offer hope when someone is weary. To rejoice together, and sometimes weep together. These moments- around tables, in living rooms, over meals and conversation- are where faith is reinforced and hearts are renewed.

When we gather like this, something sacred happens. Our faith links arms with someone else's faith, and we walk away stronger than we arrived. It reminds us that we are not along, that God is still working, and that he often uses His people to reflect His presence. That night around the kitchen island wasn't just a social gathering- it was the Church being the Church.

Love Y'all

Jennifer