Fellowship. Companionship. Friendship. This is where my heart is this week. I wanted to
continue discussing fear but I couldn't shake the thought of community and fellowship with others. Then, as I asked the Lord for guidance, I realized the important role my friends have in my life when it comes to fear and anxiety.
By design, I could be considered a loner... an introvert. I like spending time alone. In fact, if I don't get time alone it causes me to be anxious. It seems odd doesn't it? Someone who prefers time alone is thankful for a week full of time with others. You see… I have spent some part of every day this past week with one or all of my fellow Kollao team ladies. We have been hard at work preparing for tomorrow’s event. I have been so blessed by this time with them listening to worship songs, discussing the topic being presented, and just fellowship with one another. Each day after returning home, I would reflect on our time together and make mental checklists of things we needed to get done the following day. Those checklists daily contained me researching for this post. I would start out reading verses on fear and I would end up on verses referring to fellowship of some form. Before I give you all the verses I was led to, let me start by saying that this past year has been hard for everyone... even the introverts like me. It is one thing to choose to spend time alone and something completely different to be told you can’t spend time with others. You soon discover just how important your relationships and the time you spend with others are in your life.
There are many instances in the Bible that speak on the importance of fellowship with one another. Not only are we called to have friendships with others, we are called to have them with wise and good people. Proverbs 13:20 says, “The one who walks with the wise will become wise, but a companion of fools will suffer harm.” Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 4:7-12, “Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up. Also, if two lie down together, they can keep warm; but how can one person alone keep warm? And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken.” Paul tells us in Galatians to restore our friends with a gentle spirit and to carry one another's burdens. In Romans, we are told to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.
This past year has been full of fears... fears that have always been there and also, new fears that we have never had to face. Who have you turned to for discussion, guidance, and comfort? I’m pretty sure it's not the media. Sure, we may look to the media for information, that may or may not be true, but most of the time it just brings more anxiety and fear. So, where do you turn? I have found that outside of my immediate family, my closest friends are the ones I call or that call me whenever a new piece of information has been released and fear tries to take hold. We reassure one another, address the problem at hand, and move forward feeling much better than where we started. Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” We need to have good friends. Friends that will sharpen us. Friends that look to God’s word for answers in how to lead us and reassure us of His promises. These are the friends that help us during times of doubt, fear, and anxiety. Jesus says in Matthew , “Again, I assure you: If two of you on earth agree about any matter that you pray for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in My name, I am there among them.” These are the friends I want to be with... the ones that believe in the power of prayer and the power of God’s written word. These are my friends and I am so thankful for them.
I hope you have a friend or two like this. If you don't, I would like to encourage you to start praying for one. He will provide you with the perfect one or maybe even a whole group of them.
Much love,
LB
PS. We would love to have you join us tomorrow night at 7pm for our virtual event! Get a small (covid-safe) group of ladies together to fellowship with! Don’t forget your Bible and a notepad/pen. I have been lucky enough to see the preview and you will most definitely want to take notes!
PSS. Today is the last day to earn an entry into the giveaway! Comment on this post and the 2 previous posts to earn entries! :)