And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.—1 Thessalonians 5:14 (NIV)
Heavenly Father,
Help me to be the kind of person who always speaks the Truth—that Truth which is found in Your Word and revealed to us by Your Spirit—out of obedience to Your instruction, and motivated only by a deep and compassionate love for others.
Your Word instructs us to
warn those who are idle and disruptive. So
grant me the courage to warn them with the Truth in love—as You place those
opportunities before me—so that they can become productive and unifying forces
for good.
But keep me from appearing
to speak down to them—as if I was in any way spiritually superior. Help me only admonish them as equals, as a
brothers and sisters in this same good fight of faith.
When someone has become
disheartened, grant me the privilege of coming beside them to encourage them with
what You say about their situation and circumstances—offering them Truth in
love, so that they would not give up the fight.
Place before me
opportunities to help those who are weak—that by the power of the Truth of Your
Word, they would be made strong in Christ and in His love as seen through me.
At all times, let me
demonstrate the kind of patience for others that can only come from an overflow
of my heart, in response to Christ’s love for me.
Help me to be the kind of person who always speaks the Truth—that Truth which is found in Your Word and revealed to us by Your Spirit—out of obedience to Your instruction, and motivated only by a deep and compassionate love for others.
In the name of Jesus,
Amen.
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