Overwhelmed again, you look for a friend…none? Are you truly alone? Is there anyone who understands this overwhelming struggle?
Look to the right and see;
Psalm 142:4
For there is no one who regards me favorably;
There is no escape for me;
No one cares for my soul.
Look Where He Has Intended
When we, in the Church, look for a friend, we should find one. If you have listened to the world’s redefinition of love and acceptance and friendship and truth–then when you look for a friend, you are looking for something other than God intended, and wholly other than what God provides.
When we, in the Church, look for a friend, we should find one. We shouldn’t have to search, we should only look to the right or to the left and see what Jesus promised: Fellowship, family, belonging, support and encouragement and help and communion.
In our local church, His Body, we will walk with one another, reminding each other that God is near and is continually with us and for us. We must remind one another of God’s faithfulness and hesed and love and unending stores of mercy and grace, the riches of His grace, the riches of His glory, and that He indeed holds us.
What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— 2 and the life was revealed, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was revealed to us— 3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4 These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.
1 John 1:1-5
In our local body we are not alone; we live alongside our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Weep with those who weep, rejoice with those who rejoice. This does not mean “don’t use words.” as some mistakenly teach. But we don’t have to fret over having the right words–acknowledge, offer the comfort of sharing–”I am with you, this is not the way it was meant to be, this is hard; you are not alone, and God is still your refuge and your Rock.”
What would a community where grace reigns look like? A family? A person in whose heart grace reigns? Read through the New Testament epistles with these questions, where He has revealed the plans He has for His grace-filled community.
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith in this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations.
Romans 5:1-5
We stand in His grace, we exult in our tribulations–we exult in our God together, we hear and keep His Word together, we have tribulation knowing He has overcome this world, we set our hope firmly on the grace to be brought to us in the day of Jesus Christ; we cry out in the Spirit “Come Lord Jesus!” We strengthen the feeble knees, and walk together; we know our citizenship is in heaven and seek the city that is to come.
He is the only Way into this peace, the only peace. Let us rejoice that though we were once at enmity, at war–we are now held by Him, adopted into His family, and indwelt by His Spirit who will pray for us in times like these.
This Sunday–assemble with your local Body, do not forsake His gathered people and the riches of His grace through the Word Preached. Look to the right and the left, and join in the fellowship.