This week I had the privilege of spending time with a brother in Christ who was feeling particularly overwhelmed by life and down about the state of the world.
He turned up at the office, shared honestly where he was at, and together we read the Bible and prayed.
Nothing spectacular took place. There was simply the sharing of a burden and the quiet encouragement of God’s word.
But as I reflected on that time together, God reminded me of two blessings he gives us as we follow Jesus together.
The first is the blessing of being able to serve one another.
It would be easy to see a visit like this as an interruption in an already full life. But serving one another in Christ is not just a duty. It is also a gift. It is a privilege to sit with someone in their weariness, to point them again to the promises of God, and to be reminded that Jesus cares for his people through his people.
We do not need to have all the answers. We do not need to fix everything. Often, love looks like being present, listening well, opening the Scriptures, and praying together.
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
By the time he left, I felt as encouraged by him as I hope he was by me.
The second blessing was the courage of my brother to share and reach out.
That may sound simple, but it is not always easy. Many of us keep our struggles and questions under wraps. We tell ourselves that others are too busy, that our struggles are not serious enough, or that people might think less of us if they knew what was really on our mind.
But God has not designed us to follow Jesus alone. He has placed us in the body of Christ. We are the family of God, called to “carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).
That time together was a reminder of what the church is meant to be: not a place where everyone pretends to be fine, but a family where we bring our burdens into the light and help one another keep trusting Jesus.
So, if you are feeling weary, overwhelmed, discouraged, or anxious, please do not carry it alone. Reach out to a brother or sister in Christ. Share with your Community Group. Ask someone to pray with you. Open the Bible with someone. Let the family of God be the family of God to you.
And if someone reaches out to you, do not underestimate the simple ministry of listening, praying, and speaking the promises of God from the Bible. It may feel inconvenient at the time. You may not feel like you are doing much. But God works through his word and you may be surprised by how much of a blessing they have become to you.
Grace & peace,
Andrew