By Pastor Andrew Farland
When life gets tough, and I find myself navigating multiple stressors all at once, I tend to isolate myself from everyone. What about you? How do you respond to stress? Do you reach out to the people around you or do you typically find the distance between yourself and the outside world?
There was a man named Job, a man you can read about in the Old Testament, who found himself in the most difficult of difficult situations. His money, livestock, and family were all taken from him in a matter of minutes and he was left wondering, “Why is this happening to me?!”
As soon as it happened, his friend Elihu reminded Job that “other people praised God for what He had done, so join with them.” The important thing to recognize is that Elihu encouraged Job to join other people in worship. He told him not to seclude himself, but to reach out to the God-followers in his life who could walk alongside him.
If you’re the kind of person who isolates yourself from others when life gets tough, you need to know that you can’t do it in your own power. You need not only the power of God, but you also need other people, Christian men or women who can help you carry your burden.
Take a minute and think of two people who you trust who could be the people to walk with you through your valley. Later today, or later this week, call those people and tell them you want to be stronger together. If you’re in the middle of a season of life in which you’re isolating yourself, ask them to meet with you this week. If you aren’t going through anything tough right now, ask them if they can be the people who help you carry your burdens when life weighs heavy on your shoulders.
Ultimately, I want you to know that life was not intended to be lived alone. I pray that God gives you the strength you need to lean into other people when life gets hard.
Galatians 6:2
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
Be encouraged today because God is with you.
