3. Lean on me…
Facebook gets a lot of panning, but all through my journey, I have been able to connect with friends who I know are praying for me daily. I wouldn’t make it through without God and without those friends.
I have messaged, texted, called people, done coffee with these prayer warriors who genuinely care for me – I can lean on them. Bill Withers says it so well in his song, Lean on Me:
Sometimes in our lives we all have pain; we all have sorrow.
But, if we are wise, we know that there’s always tomorrow.
Lean on me when you’re not strong, and I’ll be your friend, I’ll help you carry on…
The writer of Ecclesiastes puts it this way:
A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.
Ecclesiastes 4:12
When the going gets tough I can depend on my friends, my family in God, who are faithfully loving me and praying for me.
Flowers, messages, cards. Offers of coffee and meals are all such wonderful ways of knowing I am much loved. I don’t have to do this alone – whatever tomorrow holds I know that I am being upheld in prayer and love by those who also trust in God.
You get the picture. God intends for us to be there for each other in difficult times. Knowing that my friends in Christ are there for me to physically lean on; pray for me daily; love me unconditionally; give me comfort and support; helps to sustain me through each day of the journey.
Just before the problems with my voice started, I had the unfortunate experience of being made redundant after 12 years of service to the organisation I worked for. The process from the initial information in March 2020 that my position and another were being replaced by a new single position meant I had to apply for this new position which I did not get. I was gutted and spiralled into depression when I finished with the organisation at the end of June 2020. One of the things that kept me going was all the affirmations I had received from colleagues and friends. I made this Wordle out of the key words used in those affirmations (a Wordle is an image showing frequently used words in larger letters). Whilst God needs to be our primary source of affirmation we have been made for community. Frequently we read in the letters about the way we should treat each other:
Pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. James 5:16
Make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose… don’t look only to your own interests, but take an interest in others, too… Philippians 2:1-4
Use your freedom to serve one another in love Galatians 5:13
Be kind to each other, tender-hearted, forgiving one another Ephesians 4:32
And let us not neglect our meeting together but encourage one another Hebrews 10:25
There are numerous verses that call on us to love one another, be generous, serve each other and there is no better time to do this than when one of us is suffering in some way.
A word of warning. Looking back to Job again we see an interesting scenario develop as he finds himself destitute, covered in boils. His three best friends travel to be with him, to bring him comfort and console him. They sit with him for seven days and nights without uttering a word just being there, supporting. How wonderful. But unfortunately, when these friends begin to talk, they are accusatory and harsh to Job. No comfort or consolation here.
This reminds me of a time when my sister was very sick and living in a country town away from friends and family. The Christian community she was part of immediately became accusatory – what sin had she committed to get sick? We had to relocate her at the cost of her job to help her to mend both physically and mentally. Sometimes people get it wrong when they seek to “support”.
If you are struggling, then call on those around you for support, lean on them but choose wisely. If you know someone who is struggling then be there for them, let them lean on you, and don’t stand in judgement on them.
None of us have to journey alone…
Prayer: Thank you that you made us for community, to love each other with the love that you have given to us. Sometimes we are the ones needing that support and sometimes it is for us to other it to another. Help us to be discerning in choosing whom we will receive support from or give support to. Help us to go the extra mile to be there for another with counting the cost.
Amen
Action: is there something you can do for someone doing it tough? A phone call, a card, flowers, visit, make a meal, do their ironing, weed the garden, or just sit alongside and pray. Decide on one thing, jot it down here, and go for it.
Journal your thoughts:
