We need to thank you God for reminding us that He knows where we are, and what we are going through, and for always being near us, and for the reminder that He created us for fellowship. It’s so easy to seclude ourselves when we’re feeling down, but that’s not what He want for us. Even though we knew it all along, but it was just so easy. Father help us to find fellowship that is encouraging, Help us to encourage others, and to not put ourselves in a place where we will be tempted to shut others out.
“O Lord, you know all about this. Do not stay silent. Do not abandon me know, O Lord.” Psalm 35:22
I find the above words so encouraging. Just to remember that the Lord sees us, He knows what we are going through, to remember that we are not alone – Wow isn’t that encouraging?
However, we don’t always remember those words. It seems that so often so many people feel alone. Like no one else understands what they’re going through. Do you ever feel that way? Like no one even cares? In today’s world, I think it’s easy to feel like that and I bet a lot more people feel that way than are willing to admit it.
Things don’t always go our way, things aren’t always easy, and the people that surround us hurt us with their words and actions (intentionally or not). Life is rough. It’s just that simple. When many feel alone, they usually seclude themselves even more. For many this seems like a natural response. It’s like they want to be by themselves, so that they can be lonely in peace. It sounds pretty silly to actually say that, but it’s the truth. I can’t help but wonder if that’s exactly what Satan wants from us. If he plays on our emotions to seclude us from those who could encourage us, and help us to realize that we are not alone. Like Satan wants us to seclude ourselves to keep us protected from a world that cares – after all, if we seclude ourselves, it will be harder to see that we are wrong.
I don’t know what trials you are going through, but I do know that life is rough. I also know that God sees us where we are. Satan may want us to stay secluded and lonely for as long as possible, but that’s not what God wants. He built us for fellowship (Genesis 2:18). When we seclude ourselves, we aren’t pleasing God, but helping Satan to get a foothold on our minds. God wants us to encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11), but when we hide away, we aren’t letting others bring us that encouragement that God wants us to have – and we certainly aren’t giving any encouragement to others.
