Here’s something to remember about Christians. All their problems are temporary; all their blessings are eternal. The exact opposite is true for those without Christ. All their blessings are temporary; all their problems are eternal. If there were no other reasons to follow Christ, that alone would suffice.

Because life is tough, we need to be reminded of this often. And in times of stress and strain, we must quote Scripture to our hearts, reminding ourselves that goodness and mercy follow us all the days of our lives, that all things work together for good, that all these things will be added to us, that we can cast all our cares on Him, that He freely gives us all things to enjoy, and that we can trust Him with all our hearts.

As our attitudes remain buoyant, we can then help others stay afloat with the comfort and encouragement God gives us. Hebrews 10:25 says we’re to encourage one another all the more as the day of His return draws closer.

Well, it’s very close now so let’s be more alert than ever for a chance to encourage someone. That’s the theme for this article as we pass along a simple message: “He’s coming! Hang on!”

Hanging-On Power

There are two words in the Bible that give us hanging-on power: But God…! These two words constitute one of the greatest phrases in the Bible, and they occur in some of our favorite passages. We’ll be reading along in the Bible and come to the record of something difficult. There was a problem; there was a danger or distress. Then we see the words, BUT GOD…. But God had an answer. But God stepped into the picture. But God issued a promise. But God came.

Joseph told his brothers in Egypt: “You meant evil against me; BUT GOD meant it for good” (Genesis 50:20). The psalmist said: “My flesh and my heart fail; BUT GOD is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:26). During a national crisis, King Jehoshaphat was told: “The battle is not yours, BUT GOD’s” (2 Chronicles 20:15).

The Bible says, “They took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. BUT GOD raised Him from the dead” (Acts 13:29-30). Romans 5:8 says, “BUT GOD demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.”

One of our biggest problems is Reversed Clause Syndrome. We say, “God is great, but I have a terrible problem. God is good, but I have troubles.” We should reverse the sentence and say, “I have a terrible problem, but God is great, and He will lead me through it. I have troubles, but God is good, and He will work it out for my benefit.”

In 2 Corinthians 7, this phrase BUT GOD occurs in a significant way. The apostle Paul described an agonizing moment of discouragement that swept over him, saying, “For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears” (2 Corinthians 7:5). The pressures of life had troubled Paul to the point of interrupting his ministry and putting a damper on his preaching: “When I came to Troas to preach Christ’s Gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord, I had no rest in my spirit… taking my leave of them, I departed…” (2 Corinthians 2:12-13).

“We were troubled on every side,” he explained. “Outside were conflicts, inside were fears. BUT GOD, who comforts the downcast, comforted us…” (2 Corinthians 7:5-6, NIV).

The great question to ask in 2 Corinthians 7:6 is: How did God comfort him? By an angelic visitor? By a heavenly vision? By a scriptural revelation?

None of those. The passage says: “BUT GOD, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by His coming but also by the comfort you had given him” (2 Corinthians 7:6-7, NIV).

God imparted His comfort through another human being who showed up with a word of encouragement. Titus had been encouraged by the church in Corinth, and he, in turn, had been a boost to Paul. There was a domino effect of encouragement, and Paul’s life and labor were revived.

I believe the Lord wants to make us walking and breathing dispensers of divine encouragement to others. It’s a fantastic thing to be God’s provision of comfort to another human being. He commissions us as His special “BUT GOD” agents for shoring up the morale and attitudes of another person.

And we’re to do it all the more as we see that Day approaching.

Look Up Power

When we encourage someone to hang on, we’re really saying, in biblical language: Look up! As we observe the signs of Christ’s return, we should lift up our heads because our redemption is drawing near (Luke 21:28). Colossians 3 commands us, “Set your mind on things above.” Hebrews 12:2 (NIV) tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus.

There’s tremendous comfort in meditating on our Lord’s return, contemplating the Resurrection and Rapture, and thinking of our heavenly home. In 1 Thessalonians, the apostle Paul addressed mourners who were grieving over departed loved ones. He reminded them that the Lord was coming suddenly, with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, with the trumpet call of God. The dead in Christ would rise first. Those Christians who were alive and remained would be snatched up in the air and forever be with the Lord.

Then we have these significant words in 1 Thessalonians 4:18: “Therefore comfort one another with these words.” With that verse, the Bible gives us a mandate to comfort others with the reality of Christ’s coming. We’re to speak about it, to share verses on this theme, and to talk in Maranatha terms. So let me pose this question: When was the last time you or I specifically encouraged or comforted someone with the message of the imminent return of Christ?

If the return of Christ is a clear and present awareness in our minds, it will spill over into our conversation, and someone will be comforted. Whenever we speak of His coming, someone will be encouraged. Let’s find someone today and encourage them to hang on and to look up!