During our times of need, where do we go for help?
The journey of life can sometimes wear us down. Times of fatigue, burnout or unexpected sickness cause us to take our eyes off God. But how do we get our eyes back on God?
When we experience suffering, it can lead us into a time of spiritual dryness and it's easy to withdraw and isolate ourselves from those who can help us. During these times, we need to be encouraged to continue to pray and read God's Word. Because God's word is powerful and it reminds us that our hope is not on our suffering but on God who is our ever present source of strength.
The prophet Isaiah reminds us of God's promise that,
"...He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength..." (Isa. 40;29).
Waiting on the Lord is an active decision that we need to make to continue to put our trust in Him.
"...they that wait on the Lord will renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31)
God shows His strength and power during our times of need. Our local church and Christian friends are also a source of support if we seek their help and allow them to speak into our lives. God releases his power through the prayers and the godly counsel of Christian friends.
The following scriptures points to the potential of the Church’s involvement through Christians helping one another in times of need.
James 1:16 says, Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.."
“Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice." (Proverbs 27:9)
During times of spiritual dryness caused by ongoing illness, I was thankful for the support of Christian friends I could contact for help. I was able to share with them about my struggles with being confined to bed, feeling sorry for myself, helpless and having to depend on others for help. Pastoral care that included home visits from church to my home were so much appreciated. These supports became healing moments that encouraged and help to restore my faith to trust God.
I also remembered during earlier times, the joy of receiving encouragement and strength from prople whom I've never met before in my life. Those conversations opened up opportunities for me to share a a testimony of salvation, of how I came to know Christ and how He has changed my life.
We believe God works on our behalf and He sometimes brings other people across our path who may have a need for Him. Through this, God gives us opportunities to take our eyes of our problems so that we can share our salvation story, and of His goodness in our lives.
Prayer
Father, help us to trust You during our times of suffering, and to remember that we’re never alone and there are others God uses to help us.
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