“Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”—Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NIV)
You are stronger when you are a part of a group. Prayer is how we stay connected with each other. Being disconnected from others is a dangerous place to put yourself. In our chaotic world today, being in community is a gift from God.
He knows there is power in it. Our culture values independence. It tells us we don’t need anybody. Lack of connections with other believers is one of the ways Satan slithers into our lives. We can easily become influenced to wander from God when we isolate ourselves from those that we know will speak truth into us.
When going through a difficult time, your initial response might be to distance yourself from others. That is exactly what the enemy wants you to do. He wants you to feel shame or embarrassment. If you do, he knows you will start to isolate yourself and pull away from those that love you most.
In scripture, where two or more gather in His name, He is with us (Matthew 8:20)Now more than ever, we need to maintain friendships and be checking on each other. God wants us to establish meaningful connections with other believers. This is why so many churches encourage being a part of a small group. At least my current church does.
I don’t know how people get through difficult seasons without these kinds of friendships. I have a few group text threads where I know I can go and ask the ladies to pray and they will. Just this past week, in my knitting GroupMe thread, a few of us had put some urgent prayer requests on it. Almost immediately, there were responses. I cannot tell you how comforting it is to know when you feel helpless, others are lifting you up your prayers giving you the needed strength.
When I have made a big mistake on a project and I really don’t want to start over, I will ask one of my knitting friends if they can help me. More than likely someone can point me in the right direction or actually fix what I thought was unfixable. This is what Christian friendships do as well.
When we get off track, they hold us accountable. We have a responsibility to align ourselves with other believers that will call us out when they see us going down the wrong path. We come out stronger when we have friends that speak truth into us.
If you aren’t currently part of a godly community, I encourage you to pray about seeking one out in your area. Yes, online groups are a good thing, but there is nothing like holding hands and praying together in person in a group setting. Many churches have new member group to connect you with others. You will have to put yourself out there but the rewards of being a part of a small group are worth it.
Father God,
Thank You for my spiritual sisters You have put in my life who help deepen my faith walk. These faith-filled friendships are such a blessing. I ask for discernment on which relationships to cultivate and which to weed out. I thank You for friends that strengthen me and love more intentionally with me. Together may we be bolder in our faith to spread the love of Jesus. I lift those up to you who are feeling isolated. I ask for you to give them boldness to make connections with other Christians to do life with them. I pray these things in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
June Verse
“Let everything that breathes sing praises to the LORD! Praise the LORD!”Psalm 150:6 (NLT)
If you are knitting or crocheting gifts to give away, please make sure you tweet @KnitPrayShare or share your projects on the Knit, Pray, Share Facebook page or Instagram using the hashtag #KnitPrayShare. Be sure to attach a tag to whatever gift you make.