An Encouraging Word for a Weary Heart
I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away to Arabia. – Galatians 1:16-17
Acts 9:26-28:
When he arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to associate with the disciples, and they were all afraid of him because they did not believe he was a disciple.
But Barnabas took Saul, brought him to the apostles, and related to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. So he was staying with them, associating openly with them in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord.”
The Power of a Timely Word
As a young boy, Benjamin West once tried to draw a portrait of his sister. By technical standards, the picture showed little refinement, accuracy, or skill. Yet his mother responded not with criticism, but with warmth and encouragement. She kissed him on the head and said, “Why, it’s Sally!” That simple moment left a lasting impression. West later became one of America’s most distinguished painters and never forgot the encouragement he received that day. Later, he reflected that his mother’s approving kiss inspired him to become an artist.
This story illustrates an important truth: encouragement carries remarkable power. Words of affirmation, especially when spoken at the right moment, often reach much further than we realize. Encouraging words can shape identity, strengthen confidence, reinforce resolve, and influence the direction of a person’s future.
Reassurance can draw out gifts and abilities that might otherwise remain hidden. A small act of kindness can become the turning point that redirects a life. West’s story reminds us that sincere encouragement can unlock potential, nurture growth, and leave a lasting mark on the soul.
Paul’s Need for Affirmation
Before his encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ, Paul was one of the early church’s fiercest opponents. Deeply committed to the law and convinced that he was defending the truth, he pursued believers with hostility and violence. Those who confessed Jesus as the Messiah did not appear to him as faithful worshipers of God, but as dangerous deceivers who threatened the purity of Israel’s faith. As a result, Paul became an active persecutor of the church, determined to suppress the spread of the gospel. To Jewish believers, he was far more than a critic or ideological opponent. He was a genuine threat, and their fear of him was entirely understandable.
Everything changed when Christ met him on the road to Damascus. In that defining encounter, Paul underwent such a profound transformation that it altered the direction of his entire life. The man who had once opposed Jesus now stood before the risen Lord and came under His lordship.
Yet although Paul’s conversion was immediate and genuine, the believers who had known him only as a persecutor did not readily trust him. Their hesitation was understandable. Those who have suffered at the hands of another do not easily forget the wounds they carry. Even when change is real, it may take time for others to recognize it, especially when old memories and lingering fear remain strong.
A changed heart is immediately known to God, yet it is not always immediately apparent to others. People often need time to recognize what God has already accomplished within a person’s life. In Paul’s case, long before the church publicly received him, God the Father had already accepted him, claimed him, and set him apart for His purposes.
Instructed through Remarkable Direct Revelation
Paul did not receive the gospel secondhand from the apostles. After his baptism through Ananias, he did not immediately seek out Christian leaders for instruction or validation. Instead, as he explains, he “did not immediately consult with flesh and blood.”
Galatians 1:15-16:
“But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. When this happened, I did not rush out to consult with any human being.”
Paul was one of a kind, hearing directly from God like Moses, David, or Daniel. Paul makes it clear that his understanding of the gospel did not emerge from human discussion, religious practice, or apostolic tradition. The Greek verb translated as “consult” or “conferred,” prosanatithemi, conveys “presenting a matter to someone, seeking counsel, or relying on human guidance.” Rather than consulting with people, the Father spoke to him directly.
Galatians 1:11-12:
“Dear brothers and sisters, I want you to understand that the gospel message I preach is not based on mere human reasoning. I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ.”
But there’s more! Paul’s time in Arabia was a divinely appointed season of preparation and spiritual formation. The Father intentionally separated him from established religious institutions and the immediate influence of church leaders. He was set apart for a unique period of instruction in which the Lord Jesus Christ Himself was his teacher. As a result, the truths that shaped Paul’s ministry and writings were not borrowed from others or acquired merely through study or reflection. God gave them to him through direct divine revelation.
Paul develops this theme further in Ephesians 3:3-6, where he explains both the source and the substance of his message. What he proclaimed did not originate in human reasoning, inherited tradition, or personal opinion or speculation. God graciously revealed to him mysteries that had previously been hidden.
In the New Testament, the term “mystery” does not refer to something obscure or difficult to understand. Rather, it describes “truths once concealed within God’s plan but now disclosed through revelation.” Paul’s point is that God made known to him realities that earlier generations had not known or understood. His years of hidden preparation and divine revelation help explain the authority, depth, and conviction that marked his ministry.
Barnabas and the Ministry of Encouragement
After Paul’s season in Arabia ended, he returned changed, instructed, and prepared. Yet even after time passed, the believers in Jerusalem still hesitated to trust him. His transformation was real, but their doubts remained. Enter Barnabas, the son of encouragement (paraklēseōs).
Luke writes in Acts 9:27, “Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus.”
Barnabas became the human instrument of affirmation that Paul needed. He stood between Paul’s transformed identity and the church’s lingering suspicion, helping bridge the gap that fear and uncertainty had created. By speaking on Paul’s behalf, Barnabas bore witness to the reality of his conversion, affirmed God’s work in his life, and helped pave the way for his acceptance among those he had once sought to harm. Because of Barnabas’s support, Paul was received as a brother rather than feared as an enemy.
Barnabas provides one of the clearest expressions of true encouragement. It does more than speak kindly. He takes the courageous step of standing with someone, recognizing the grace of God in that person’s life, and helping others recognize it too.
REFLECT AND PRAY
Encouragement is a gift whose impact can last well beyond the moment it is offered. We are called to pass on to others what we have received from the Father and through His faithful care of His people.
Father, You have been my encouragement from the beginning. Thank You for sustaining me through Your presence and for placing faithful people in my life who have strengthened me along the way. Teach me to encourage others with sincerity, wisdom, and grace, just as You have encouraged me.
INSIGHT
Encouragement Sparks Transformation
Encouragement is far more than providing pleasant words. In God’s hands, it becomes a means of transformation. The Father uses encouragement to steady the heart, strengthen faith, restore courage, and confirm direction.
The Greek word translated as “encourage” is parakaleo. It is formed from para, meaning “to the side of,” and kaleo, meaning “to call.” Literally, it means to “call someone to your side.” This semantic domain includes “helping, comforting, exhorting, strengthening, consoling, or affirming.”
The related noun paraklete refers to a “helper, advocate, comforter, or one who comes alongside in support.” Paraklete is also a title for the Holy Spirit.
The Finest Source of Encouragement
The Father has provided the richest, most reliable source of encouragement to each child of the King. In a miracle of miracles, He has made the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit available.
John 14:16-17:
“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever, that is, the Spirit of truth.”
The Holy Spirit stays with every child of the King forever. He gives strength, comfort, guidance, and a confirming witness of truth. During times of doubt, rejection, or loneliness, His presence reassures God’s children that He is always nearby, faithfully supporting them.
The Holy Spirit Guides and Helps Us Remember
Take a moment to reflect. Is it actually possible to know the Truth taught directly by the Holy Spirit?
Jesus Christ made a remarkable promise, which He has faithfully fulfilled over centuries: John 14:26 states, “The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I said.”
Each of us has a spiritual guide, a priceless teacher freely given to help us learn, understand, and remember what He teaches us. The truth is out there!
However, there is a caveat: not every spiritual claim is reliable. Many voices compete with Him that are not from God. We must learn to recognize and listen for His voice. As the apostle John exhorts us in 1 John 4:1, “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.”
This caution neither diminishes nor cancels the promise. Be confident, trusting yet circumspect.
The Lasting Power of Encouragement
Paul’s life illustrates that affirmation takes various forms and appears at different stages of a person’s journey. Initially, he received direct reassurance from the Father, which affirmed his calling and rooted him in divine purpose. Later, Barnabas provided public support by endorsing Paul before the early church and helping him gain acceptance among believers. Subsequently, the Holy Spirit became his personal coach and source of encouragement.
Therefore, encouragement serves as a divine tool to nurture lives, deepen faith, and help individuals fully step into their God-given calling. When given with wisdom, sincerity, and discernment, encouragement can profoundly empower God’s people.
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© Dr. H 2026
