Share the Struggle
OPENING PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, show us how we can reach out to others and allow others into our lives so we can give and receive encouragement and counsel. Amen
“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NIV
REFLECT:
Overcome addiction by sharing your struggle with someone else in your same situation. Many times when we are challenged we tend to hide when we need to reach out. In Genesis, God said that it is not good for man to live alone. Throughout the Bible we see application after application of how we should travel this life together. In our relationships God created us to gain encouragement and counsel from each other and with these two assets we can mature and grow. Yet, sometimes God allows struggle to bring us to our knees before him. When we struggle with an addiction or any kind of challenge, do we reach out or do we hide?
APPLY:
The momentum to overcome can be controlled by our mindset and whatever attitude prevails can make or break the victory. Just like in a sport’s activity we see the team step up to encourage one another. When someone has a bad play, the team surrounds them with encouragement. When there’s a good play, they celebrate together. These actions can determine the course of the game. The philosophy behind team sports is a good example of how we, as Christians, can live successfully together. Of course, we are not perfect, but we strive to improve with each experience. As we struggle with each other, help us to become motivated to be overcomers. Proverbs 27:17 NIV “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”
CLOSING PRAYER:
Heavenly Father; thank you for the gift of each other. Help us to grow by encouraging each other. Amen
CONTINUED READING:
Proverbs 27:17