Why is it that we so often battle along alone? It seems to me that Western culture has blindly enshrined the value of independence without contemplating its potential downside. Rather than admitting that we could sometimes use a little help, we choose rather to bash on through life regardless. This has unfortunately filtered into the Christian Church. Christians of many a church congregation know little if anything about one another's personal struggles. However, the New Testament knows nothing of individual Christians doing their “own thing” in complete independence. Rather, the Scriptures encourage inter-dependence. We are inter-dependent on one another and on God - for it is "in Him that we live and move and have our being". (Act 17:28 NIV)
My wife and I recently retired from pastoral ministry and relocated to another part of our country to be closer to our kids and grand-kids. With Covid lockdown restrictions it has been difficult to find a new church home and we felt as though we were in a "spiritual no-man's land". Then! - we both tested positive for Covid. We felt pretty rotten, tired and washed out. For a couple of days we battled along alone with just the support of family, but then we decided to make our need known and to ask for the prayers of others both locally and from the church we founded. There was a wave of loving, faithful, prayer. We could literally feel the prayer power kicking in. We are feeling so much better already and have turned the corner on this Covid disease. Jesus says this, “…If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.” (Matt 18:19 NLT)
Be blessed
Philip
P.S. Don't struggle along alone. Don't wallow on your sick-bed. Don’t ask Google - just ask for prayer.
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