5 Reasons to Look Toward Jesus When You Need Encouragement
Problems are inevitable in this life. We are always going through something. Whether it’s physical, emotional, financial, or spiritual, we are not exempt from the vicissitudes of this life. It’s understandable to fret about one’s circumstances and be downcast. Many times, we even complain or blame others, including blaming God for our plight. We look at ourselves and think we are less than nothing. Overall, we fall into despair because we think our situation is hopeless.
Yet as Scottish pastor Robert Murray M’Cheyne said, "For every look at yourself, take ten looks at Christ." An exaltation of Christ exceeds our introspection for He is glorious, perfect, holy, and good. Although we are in Christ, we still have to deal with our flesh that at times attempts to draw us away from God through sin or even fill ourselves with a negative self-image– that we’re too broken or guilty from sin. These are all things that Christ offers us complete and total forgiveness because He clothed us with His righteousness. Overall, we are now children of God, loved with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3) and valued far more than we could comprehend. That being said, I want to highlight how Jesus, not ourselves, is the best form of encouragement.
1. Jesus Is Our Hope
As Christians, we know that we are not without hope because Jesus is our hope. In the Bible, we see that He is described as “our hope” (1 Timothy 1:1), “the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:20), “anchor for the soul” (Hebrews 6:19), and “our blessed hope” (Titus 2:13). The word hope in the Greek ἐλπίς (el-pece) means expectation or confidence.
In Christ, there is no such thing as hopelessness. Therefore, Christians should know that there is no hopelessness for them. This is so encouraging to know because we can apply it in every season and in every circumstance. The world provides no such hope whatsoever. Instant gratifications come and go. Whatever pursuits in this world for a sense of fulfillment is like vanity changing the wind (Ecclesiastes 1:14). There is no encouragement in that, only emptiness. But in Christ, we no longer have to turn to these things because He is our hope.
2. Jesus Has Overcome
We can also be encouraged by Jesus, as he has overcome the world. In His words to His disciples, He says, “In the world you will have tribulation, but take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). In this text, Christ points out the inevitability of trial followed by His assurance that He has overcome the world. Trials and tribulations are indeed discouraging, especially when one is going through it. It is difficult to comprehend what is happening as well as find comfort for the future. Preserving through challenging times becomes hard to push through when things get worse. As Christians, we are constantly reminded that we live in a fallen world in which there are many storms that we must face.
Yet the inevitability of the trial is not the end-all, be-all. Remember, there is no such thing as hopelessness in Christ, who has overcome the world. He has overcome sin and death, two things we could never overcome. Christ, who is our overcomer. He is our Champion, always fighting by our side. And here He tells His disciples that He has overcome the world. These words should be of tremendous encouragement for believers because they realize that He is with them in the trial and He will get them through it. Additionally, we are more than overcomers in Christ (Romans 8:37). This doesn’t mean we won’t struggle since trials in this world are inevitable, but we can overcome because Christ has overcome for us!
3. Jesus Intercedes for Us
“Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” - Hebrews 7:25
As our high priest, we can rest assured that Jesus Christ is interceding for us right now because He is always interceding for us. We are not alone in this fight. Remember, Jesus is praying for you right now to press on and trust in Him through it all. Here is Someone who we can always count on in our time of need. Just go to Him, seek His face, worship Him, and be encouraged. He is standing in the gap for you. Why this intercession? So that He is “to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him.” These words are words of our assurance of salvation. He can never let us go because He will never let us go. We are in good hands because we are in His hands. What an encouragement to know that we are in His prayers, because He is our Great High Priest, before God the Father. In Christ, we have His righteousness; thus, we are reconciled to the Father so that we have eternal life. Yet upon our journey to eternal glory, He intercedes for us so that we would push through this life and be with Him forever.
4. Jesus, the Author and Perfector of Our Faith
“Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” - Hebrews 12:2
Jesus is also the founder and perfecter of our faith, as stated in the above verse. Not only does He initiate our faith, but He perfects it. This goes to show that salvation is a supernatural work from God, which we could never attain or deserve on our own. Although we at times stumble and fall during our Christian walks, we can rest assured that He who began a good work in you will finish it (Philippians 1:6). Our eternal hope is secure because Jesus secured it for us. Like in the previous verse, He always lives to make intercession for us, and we can see that because He is the founder and perfecter of our faith. Comforting truth isn’t it? That our Good Shepherd walks with us, assuring that we are safe with Him, that not even the devil can snatch us out of the Father’s hands (John 10:27).
5. Jesus Saves Us
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” - John 3:16
The most well-known Bible verse highlights a core truth that encapsulates the Gospel. It is through Christ and Christ alone that we are saved. He is The Way, The Truth, and The Life; no one can come to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). Moreover, it is evidence of God’s love for us in saving us. Similarly, the apostle Paul writes, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). While we were sinners, while we are at our worst, while we rebelled against God, His Son died for us, which again is evidence of God’s love. God didn’t have to send Jesus to die for us, but He did. And He did it because He was delighted to do so. Friends, we must preach the Gospel to ourselves each day, reminding ourselves of this glorious truth, no matter what we are facing or how we are feeling. Let us “bless the Lord at all times” (Psalm 32:5)
Conclusion
Although this is not intended to be an exhaustive list, I hope that we can be encouraged by these truths daily. That we would see that the best encouragement we can give to ourselves is through Christ. Let that also be our motivation to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ who are struggling and need a word of encouragement. Moreover, may we encourage unbelievers to turn to Christ, for He alone can save them. Praise God for His great and glorious salvation through His Son. Therefore, we can press on toward the goal “for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 3:14). With Christ, we have more than enough reason to be encouraged and persevere, for He awaits us, and we look forward to being with Him forever.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Janina Steinmetz
Originally published August 19, 2025.
