When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart, for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith. // Acts 11:23-24
My phone is filled with text messages from friends who pray for me, but one friend in particular, Tricia, is a constant source of prayer, encouragement, and a model of virtue.
“How are you doing, sister? Been praying for you and all the movements in your life. Love and miss you!”
“Thinking of you and praying for you, sister!”
“I’m on my way to church. If you don’t get a hold of me [it’s] because I’m at Adoration praying for you!”
Like Saint Barnabas the Apostle, whose name means “son of encouragement,” Tricia has the ability to see the good in others, even the most difficult of people, and treat them as though she is ministering to Jesus. Through her work as a campus minister at a university, she forms disciples for Jesus while also attending to the academic, social, and essential needs of the students. Even in her imperfections, she’s constantly training her ear and her heart to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. I could give a million affirmations about her, but one of my favorite attributes is that she expresses genuine joy at the successes of others, especially when they choose to follow Jesus.
When Barnabas entered Antioch and saw what God was doing there, He rejoiced and encouraged the community. Many people were added to the Church and Scripture tells us that it was there, in Antioch, that the disciples were first called “Christians.”
In the midst of joy and motivation, faith and inspiration, discipleship and evangelization, the people became “little Christs.”
Who are you called to rejoice with and encourage today? Or is it you who needs the encouragement? Either way, choose today to reach out to a friend and encourage them in their walk with Jesus. And if you need the encouragement, pray with today’s Psalm (98:1-6) and know that God is with you.
When he saw what God was doing there, he rejoiced. // @chikasworldClick to tweet
Chika Anyanwu is a Catholic evangelist, speaker, and author of My Encounter: How I Met Jesus In Prayer. Her missionary zeal is inspired by a love of Christ and the Church, the lives of the saints, and a desire to see people live their worth. She was a contributing author to Maranatha: The Story of Our Savior. Find out more here.
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