02-24-2026 PART 3: Encouragement, Surrender, and the Freedom of Letting Go

Section 1

Romans 15 continues to press into both humility and encouragement. Paul asks for prayer—not only for protection from opposition, but also that the believers in Jerusalem would receive the financial gift being brought to them. Receiving can be harder than giving because pride resists dependency. In God’s kingdom, however, everyone is a charity case. Grace is never earned; it is received. Paul then adds something beautiful in verse 32: that by the will of God he may come with joy and be refreshed together with them. When believers pray and God answers, everyone shares in the victory. Those who intercede participate in the fruit. Shared prayer produces shared joy. Mutual encouragement is not optional; it is part of the design of Christian fellowship.

Section 2

Encouragement, however, is not shallow flattery. It can include loving correction, firm counsel, and honest exhortation. The goal is always restoration and growth. God disciplines for our good, never from boredom or cruelty. He works with the end in mind. In the same way, believers should build one another up with eternity in view. Even when facing opposition, prayer should never become vindictive. We do not pray against people as enemies to be destroyed; we pray for hearts to be transformed. Love empowered by the Holy Spirit becomes action—lifting up, strengthening, supporting. We may sometimes act from obligation rather than desire, but instead of quitting, we ask God to shape our hearts to reflect His. He delights in answering that prayer.

Section 3

This leads naturally into the practice of casting our cares upon Him. Growth in Christ is ongoing—glory to glory, shaped into His image. Yet many burdens are carried unnecessarily because we refuse to release control. In ministry and daily life, pressure mounts quickly. Deadlines, logistics, responsibilities, and expectations can create strain that was never meant to be held alone. Surrender is not passivity; it is trust. When we release what we cannot control, God often aligns circumstances in ways beyond our ability. Like the traveler who believed he was late only to discover he was right on time, perspective changes everything. Casting our cares on Him is not poetic theory—it is practical freedom. Letting go reduces anxiety, deepens trust, and reminds us that there is only One truly in charge.