So many times when we are trying to deal with a trial or tribulation we believe we can do it on our own. Sometimes this is because we fear the ridicule or shame from others. Other times it’s because we truly feel we are smart enough and strong enough to deal with the situation on our own. We don’t need anyone else!! Well I think if we all looked back on our lives and the times we’ve tried to handle tough situations on our own, we probably see times where we failed miserably. Doing it on our own is not the plan that works and it’s not the plan that God has for us.
Pastor Rick Warren’s devotional today really focused on the need for us to bring others into our circle to pray with us and for us. Prayer is a powerful tool, especially when that prayer comes forth from a strong group of believers. Scripture shows us through many verses how when we join together and pray for one another that God can do a great work and heal many lives.
In my own life I’ve seen this play out time and time again. And usually the story starts out with me being stubborn and thinking I know it all, I can handle this on my own, I’m a man I can do this without any help! As the story plays on I may make some small progress in the situation and feel like I’ve got this under control. I can get through it without anyone ever knowing. But what usually happens is my plans hit a snag, a bump in the road, and then it starts to fall apart. When this happens I look around and I have no one to lean on. I have no one to bring my struggles to. I have no one to pray with me and be my support in the storm. For many of us we don’t even turn to the loved one that’s sitting there right next to us. We don’t look at the true friends we have around us that would love to help us if they only knew what we were dealing with. We don’t want anyone else to carry our burdens.
There were times in my life where I was dealing with things in the dark that I didn’t want to come out in the light. I felt shame and my pride wouldn’t let me admit my own failings. I fooled myself into thinking I don’t need the prayers of others. I don’t need a group to rely on to help me. I don’t need anyone but myself to fix myself. Well I can tell you that not until I first let go of my pride and admitted my failings and then opened up to others about them did I ever get on the road to healing. It takes a lot of honesty and humility on our part to let those we love, and those who love us, know that we aren’t perfect. But the funny thing is they don’t expect us to be. We put that extra burden on ourselves and because of that we stay out of the community of believers that God wants us to be in. We feel that in order to be in community we have to be perfect and have our lives together. And that is so far from what God wants for us, he wants us to come together to pray for one another, to protect one another, to help us see areas where we need to change and to help each other change. These are things that can only be done when you allow yourself to connect with a group of people who care about you and truly want you to live the life God has for you.
So if you’ve been feeling overburdened by things you’ve been dealing with and you look around and see you’ve been dealing with it on your own let’s change that. It’s time to change the course of your life and head towards the healing that God has for you. First, be honest with yourself and allow yourself to not be perfect. Jesus was the only perfect person to walk this earth. Second, surround yourself with people who care about you and share with them the troubles you are going through. Allow them to pray for you and help carry your burden. Immediately you will feel some of that weight lift off of you and you will realize you don’t have to do this alone. Your life was not meant to live alone! Get in community!
Truth in Love!! ~ Chuck