Don’t Go It Alone

The memory of my suffering and homelessness is bitterness and poison. I can’t help but remember and am depressed. I call all this to mind— therefore, I will wait. Certainly the faithful love of the LORD hasn’t ended; certainly God’s compassion isn’t through! They are renewed every morning. Great is your faithfulness. (CEB)

Lamentations 3:19

In the last few days, I’ve been considering the question “What enables us to keep on trusting in God’s faithful love when our lives are stung by suffering?” I’ve pointed to the encouragement we receive from Scripture and from Jesus Christ. Today, I want to suggest another way God makes his presence known when we are suffering.

I’m thinking of the community of God’s people. When we put our faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, we enter into a relationship, not only with God, but also with God’s people. Our Heavenly Father adopts us into a giant family with millions of brothers and sisters. His intention for us is that we would live our life in profound intimacy with some of these Christian siblings.

One of the crucial roles of the family of God is to offer comfort and support in times of suffering. According to Romans 12:15, we are to “be happy with those who are happy, and cry with those who are crying.” This happens because “if one part [of the body of Christ] suffers, all the parts suffer with it” (1 Cor. 12:26). Notice that our first duty to those who suffer is not to cheer them up or sort out their theology. We’re to share in their pain and to weep when they weep. Then, in the context of such empathy, we can also find ways to bring comfort and hope.

When my father was dying of cancer, his last months seemed endless. My family and I were being pummeled with this suffering, as well as with our own grief. Members of our church family often reached out to us, offering their love and prayers. But the most wonderful thing they did for the last two months of my dad’s life was to bring dinner to my family, every night for two months. Some of these dinners were glorious, the fruit of long labor. Others were picked up as someone rushed over to my parents’ house after work. Sometimes, those who brought the meals stayed and shared them with us. Sometimes they dropped off the food and hurried home.

I can’t begin to describe how it felt to have our brothers and sisters in Christ serve us in this way. In a time when God often felt very distant, we sensed his love in meatloaf, casseroles, and Kentucky Fried Chicken.

When you’re in the midst of hard times at home, work, or wherever, don’t go it alone. God did not intend for you to be faithful all by yourself. Rather, he adopted you into his family so that you might experience his love from your brothers and sisters in Christ.

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: Have you ever experienced the support of your Christian community when you were going through a difficult time in life or at work? What happened? Have you ever been a conduit of God’s love to someone who was suffering?

PRAYER: Dear Lord, how thankful I am that you have not left us alone. As you know so well, there’s no way I could make it on my own. This is especially true in times of suffering.

Your church is not perfect, Lord. You know that better than I do. But, in so many ways, my brothers and sisters have been there for me in difficult times. I thank you for their prayers, their hugs, their patience, their generosity, their words of comfort, their strong faith when my faith faltered.

Help me, dear Lord, to be to others what they have been to me. Help me to be a channel of your peace and reassurance. Help me to weep with those who weep so that I might rejoice when they rejoice.

All praise be to you, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of being a child in your family. Amen.