Despair Is Not My FutureSample

Community. Community. Community.

The last thing the enemy wants is for you to live in community—for you to not feel isolated and alone. The enemy wins when you are struggling in isolation, when you think you are fighting a battle in an army of one. A quote that comes to mind is to “be kind to everyone because everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about.”

There is freedom in sharing your struggles and finding others in the same boat. One way to find that boat is to find a church. There is no commandment that says, “thou shall go to church,” but that is a great place to find and live in community. And if you don’t have a church home, I would challenge you to pray and seek one.

Think of church as the ideal family. No family is perfect, but are the things that matter in their DNA; for example, sound teaching directly from the word of God, humility, grace, compassion.

Get involved in a small group or create your own. That is where relationships are strengthened. Pray that you can find the ones who will encourage, challenge, and lift you up.

When I was in a season of despair a friend reached out to me to me to join a weekly prayer group. It was not something I considered, and it was much easier to stay in isolation. I knew deep down I needed to step out in faith. The first meeting it physically hurt to pray, but as I continued, I finished praying relieved and hopeful. It led to more community and more fellowship.

We are not made to walk alone.