24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:24-25
One of the most overlooked benefits of gathering as believers is the simple gift of encouragement. The word itself means “to give courage back” or “to lift up”—and isn’t that exactly what we need in a world that constantly seeks to tear us down?
When we gather with fellow believers, we’re reminded of a powerful truth: we are not alone. Others are fighting the same battles, wrestling with the same doubts, and striving toward the same goal of Christlikeness. There’s profound comfort in knowing that you’re not the only one struggling to live out biblical principles in a hostile world.
Consider the prophet Elijah. After his spectacular victory over the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, he found himself running for his life from Queen Jezebel’s threats. Exhausted and despairing, he cried out to God, “I’m the only one left!” But God’s response was telling: “I still have 7,000 who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”
Even in Elijah’s darkest moment, he wasn’t alone. There was a remnant—faithful people who continued to honor God despite the cultural pressure around them.
The same is true today. Despite the challenges facing the church, despite the drift away from biblical truth in our culture, there remains a faithful remnant. When we gather together, we encourage one another simply by showing up—by demonstrating that we haven’t given up, that we’re still in the fight, that Christ is still worth following.
There’s also something eternally significant about Christian worship that transcends our immediate experience. When believers gather to worship the one true God, we enter a dimension that touches eternity. We may not always feel it or see immediate results, but God is at work in ways we cannot fully comprehend. Our gathering isn’t merely about community or music—it’s about encountering the living God.
Tony French
