Weekday Devotionals
Genesis 2:18(a)
The Lord God said, “It is not good for man (mankind) to be alone.”
We need each other! God created us to need Him and each other. Adam found himself in a beautiful garden created by God, full of amazing creatures. It was all a creative display of God’s power and love and he had fellowship with God Himself. But, for Adam no suitable helper was found so He (God) created a helper from Adam’s own body. A female counterpart, a companion, someone to balance him, to help him, to make a community of humans with. God designed us to have person-to-person connections. It is those connections we knowingly or unknowingly seek out.
The story takes a dive from there because his counterpart had a role in tempting him to sin but the point is the same. We need each other, especially if we’ve sinned. We weren’t created to do life alone. We need friends, good friends in Christ, mentors, people whose unique insights can shape our own perspectives and give us a better, sharper perspective. People who make us stronger, smarter and better, even if we don’t like what they’re telling us at the moment.
Some of us go into our private hole when we face difficulties, not wanting to share our stress or ask for help. Others can wear us out with their constant fretting and some just walk away.
Pastor Aaron told us, “It’s ok to be angry, (with God or with a person) but don’t walk away before you understand the whole picture. And if you remove God from the story you will never really understand.” If you walk away you may miss an opportunity to grow and learn or to experience the grace of God in the particular circumstances. Misunderstanding can only happen if you’re drawing conclusions on your own, without the benefit of a community who can talk you through your crisis and help you to hear the truth.
Life is about the balance. Your faith vs. your vulnerability, being wise yet open minded, diligently seeking God in private and then sitting around the table with friends sharing your concerns. ‘There is a loving God and there is an enemy. The enemy whispers lies and God whispers the truth’. Sometimes we need help discerning the difference.
I have found over and over that when I talk to other women about things that bother me in my life, there’s more than one lady who feels the same way. This goes for men as well. My heart is saying, “Ahhhh, I’m not alone. I guess this is normal. I’m not the only one.” This levels my story out and I can take a breath and laugh. Laughing is good medicine and we all need to do more of that! As Pastor Aaron put it, ‘There is a chaos of life that pushes us to our limits and we are not supposed to go through that chaos alone!’ We need friends, we need laughter, we need community.
Of course we need God first and foremost. We need His Word, His Spirit, His wisdom, His forgiveness and power and truth and comfort and all that He has for us! But we need each other as well. Someone who can say, “I get it. I’ll pray with you.” Someone who will say, “Let me show you a different side of that story.” Someone who will say, “I don’t agree with the way you are thinking or the decisions you are making but I love you and I’ll be there to help you pick up the pieces if you crash.” Be that person for someone. Allow someone to be that person for you! We weren’t created to do life alone!
God knows just who we need and who needs us. Trust Him!
Have a blessed day!
Susan G
The Lord God said, “It is not good for man (mankind) to be alone.”
We need each other! God created us to need Him and each other. Adam found himself in a beautiful garden created by God, full of amazing creatures. It was all a creative display of God’s power and love and he had fellowship with God Himself. But, for Adam no suitable helper was found so He (God) created a helper from Adam’s own body. A female counterpart, a companion, someone to balance him, to help him, to make a community of humans with. God designed us to have person-to-person connections. It is those connections we knowingly or unknowingly seek out.
The story takes a dive from there because his counterpart had a role in tempting him to sin but the point is the same. We need each other, especially if we’ve sinned. We weren’t created to do life alone. We need friends, good friends in Christ, mentors, people whose unique insights can shape our own perspectives and give us a better, sharper perspective. People who make us stronger, smarter and better, even if we don’t like what they’re telling us at the moment.
Some of us go into our private hole when we face difficulties, not wanting to share our stress or ask for help. Others can wear us out with their constant fretting and some just walk away.
Pastor Aaron told us, “It’s ok to be angry, (with God or with a person) but don’t walk away before you understand the whole picture. And if you remove God from the story you will never really understand.” If you walk away you may miss an opportunity to grow and learn or to experience the grace of God in the particular circumstances. Misunderstanding can only happen if you’re drawing conclusions on your own, without the benefit of a community who can talk you through your crisis and help you to hear the truth.
Life is about the balance. Your faith vs. your vulnerability, being wise yet open minded, diligently seeking God in private and then sitting around the table with friends sharing your concerns. ‘There is a loving God and there is an enemy. The enemy whispers lies and God whispers the truth’. Sometimes we need help discerning the difference.
I have found over and over that when I talk to other women about things that bother me in my life, there’s more than one lady who feels the same way. This goes for men as well. My heart is saying, “Ahhhh, I’m not alone. I guess this is normal. I’m not the only one.” This levels my story out and I can take a breath and laugh. Laughing is good medicine and we all need to do more of that! As Pastor Aaron put it, ‘There is a chaos of life that pushes us to our limits and we are not supposed to go through that chaos alone!’ We need friends, we need laughter, we need community.
Of course we need God first and foremost. We need His Word, His Spirit, His wisdom, His forgiveness and power and truth and comfort and all that He has for us! But we need each other as well. Someone who can say, “I get it. I’ll pray with you.” Someone who will say, “Let me show you a different side of that story.” Someone who will say, “I don’t agree with the way you are thinking or the decisions you are making but I love you and I’ll be there to help you pick up the pieces if you crash.” Be that person for someone. Allow someone to be that person for you! We weren’t created to do life alone!
God knows just who we need and who needs us. Trust Him!
Have a blessed day!
Susan G
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