Sharing our lives

One of the major benefits of joining a church or community group is the support and encouragement we receive from each other. The Bible says we were not meant to be alone. ‘Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him." Genesis 2:18 NASB.

One of the characteristics of the early church was their faithfulness to staying connected to each other because they knew connectedness doesn’t merely happen. They met together daily. They ate together. Over time, however, that happened less. So the writer of Hebrews said: ‘Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another’ (Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV).

Serving one another encourages both parties and gives us a sense of purpose knowing that our service to others is changing lives. People respond to knowing they are not alone in their pain and that someone cares enough to listen and reassure them that this situation will pass. Every day, everyone you know faces life with eternity on the line, and life has a way of beating people down. Every life needs a cheering section. Every life needs a shoulder to lean on once in a while. Every life needs a prayer to lift them up before God. Every life needs a hugger to wrap some arms around them sometimes. Every life needs to hear a voice saying, “Don’t give up.”’