Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about His mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains.
(Colossians 4:2-3 NLT)
All too often Christians take on hardships as if they belong to them and them alone but Paul shared what he went through so brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus may see what God was doing and so they could take part as they offered up prayers for him. It’s hard to imagine but sometimes we go through things not only because we need to learn something but also for the building of faith of our brothers and sisters.
Many times circumstances are kept to ourselves because of pride. We are too concerned about what others might think or say or do but that battle is not yours to own. Instead it only serves as a reminder they have issues too and like you they can either deal with them or they can choose to be blind through their own pride and arrogance but the mature in Christ will speak truth in love for the purpose of helping others to grow as they are growing.
Paul always seemed to have close brothers in the faith near him, a support system of sorts to encourage him and to remind him of the purpose he serves by being obedient to the Lord Jesus Christ even though his body suffers and his mind is troubled. Therefore it is important that we do the same. When I was a teenager God sent those people into my life even though I did not understand how much they were needed, for I would have surely died without them. As an adult I learned to be strong and self-reliant. Partly because my path took me places others could not go but something was lost and until recently I thought gone for good but once again God has given me a support system. Not only do I share my struggles and difficulties but my victories and triumphs and in this way others pray for me and invest in the things Christ is doing through me and as I do the same for them.
We all go through difficulties but not all of us are strong enough to admit we need help. Too often the phrase “I’ve got this” comes up in our vocabulary. Even if we are able to handle it only propels us further down the road to the ideal that “I am strong enough” but there is no such thing as the “self-made man”. What happens when you come upon a real battle, something larger than you are capable of taking care of yourself? Do you have a support system in place? You see there are way too many circumstances in our lives for us to make a large impact on them all by ourselves. It would be like having a line of marbles stretched from the left side of the table to the right and you trying to push them all back with a pencil point. Yeah you might be able to push one or two but the overall impact is very little but the support system allows you to trade your pencil for a 8’ 2x4 laid down the width of the table pushing all those circumstances back at the same time, not because of your abilities or the abilities of your friends but because of prayer and the love of God. Through your circumstances others will know Christ Jesus but it’s through the letting go of pride and having faith enough to trust God with your heart that the circumstances the stand before us are moved back. I am truly amazed, all the effort in all the years of adulthood does not equal what the Lord has done is just moments and it all started in my heart like someone turning on the lights in a dark room with no windows.
I will boast only in the LORD; let all who are helpless take heart. Come, let us tell of the LORD's greatness; let us exalt His name together. I prayed to the LORD, and He answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to Him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. In my desperation I prayed, and the LORD listened; He saved me from all my troubles. For the angel of the LORD is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear Him.
(Psalms 34:2-7 NLT)
But the LORD will redeem those who serve Him. No one who takes refuge in Him will be condemned.
(Psalms 34:22 NLT)
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