Lean on Each Other

There are times in our lives when we're listeners and advice-givers. Other times, we're the ones who need to open up and learn to confide in a trusted friend. Psalm 32:3 says, "When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long." I tend to be the kind of person who is eager to listen to someone's situation and try to help them "fix" whatever is going on. I've always been solution-oriented, and, for a long time, I had a tendency to draw my identity from things I did to help people, rather than from God. I'd help someone and feel great about it, but after the problem was "fixed" and the person had moved on, I felt the emptiness start creeping back in. I tried so hard to be strong, but who was I, if I wasn't helping someone else? I'm not the kind to reach out for help; I'm the one who reaches out and helps others. I was so conflicted, having what you might call a "spiritual identity crisis." Yet, James 5:16 says to confess our sins to each other and pray for each other so that we may be healed, and it says the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Maybe we don't really even have a specific sin we need to confess. Maybe we just need to reach out, asking one another for prayer, so that we can be healed. I was so scared to reach out and ask for help, for prayer. When I finally realized I could no longer do it alone, I reached out to a Christian friend I knew I could trust, and was able to pour out my deepest feelings and emotions. We talked, prayed together, and even worshiped. It was only then, in that holy moment, that I began to heal and understand God’s true and unwavering love for me. So, here's my encouragement to you: don't be afraid like I was. Reach out, find a fellow believer you can trust, confide in them, pray with them, and let God bring healing and joy to your life. ~Robin