We Need Each Other

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:24-25

Lately I have been thinking about the concept of “isolation”. The enemy wants us isolated and alone. The Lord doesn’t want us to live that way. He wants us to be surrounded by others who encourage us and lift us up in prayer. 

I was walking through a very difficult and lonely season two years ago and still was most of last year. I know a lot of people experienced isolation and loneliness like never before last year, in 2020. My struggles started in 2019 when my best friend moved away and my husband went to basic military training for 2 months. It was one of the hardest seasons in my life. I was extremely alone in the sense that I didn’t want to ask for help, or talk about my feelings. I wasn’t physically alone though. I had my 18 month old daughter at the time and I was 20sih weeks pregnant with my second. I was also living with my parents so I wouldn’t be alone. But why in the world did I feel so awful? Why was I so incredibly lonely? Because I shut everyone out. I am the type of person that when I am in pain whether it is physical or emotional, I shut people out and I don’t talk about it. I hate asking for help. I feel like I am going to be a burden to someone by reaching out for help or prayer and I know that is so wrong. The reason I am sharing this today is to say that I have recognized this in my life and I am going to change it because it isn’t healthy. I needed to reach out and stop isolating myself when I didn’t need to. I was so broken during that time of my life. 

Flash forward to last year (2020). Obviously times got super strange and my husband was away again for a three month training during the beginning of the pandemic. I was absolutely terrified. All the anxiety I thought I dealt with as a young teen came flooding back and I spent so many days worrying for my health, my children’s health, and the health of my loved ones. I know I am not the only one who has experienced this. I was still so lonely. No church, no friends, just me and my two kids. I did have my family close by which made all the difference! But like I said, I don’t like asking for help. I started to open up more about my feelings on social media and that resulted in a flood of people who related to me. This year I posted in my instagram stories about my struggle with anxiety and so many moms reached out and prayed for me and encouraged me. It was very eye opening to me that we are not meant to wallow in our pain and mental misery but we’re meant for community. We need each other. I felt a weight come off of me just from sharing my struggles out loud! There is power in speaking out your struggle. You can find so much healing in sharing your struggles.

Here is some scripture to back this up. 

Galatians 6:2

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

1 Thessalonians 5:14 

And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.

1 John 1:7

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

 James 5:16

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

There are so many  scriptures about this subject. God knows the importance of us not being alone. Even in the beginning He made Eve for Adam because it isn’t good for man to be alone. 

Now, to address something. Are you hurt from people? Are you shutting people out because of past hurt? Would you rather be alone than have friends? Now let me tell you this. I was done trying to have friends. I seriously was. I didn’t want anyone in my life because I was tired of the hurt. Growing up in ministry was beautiful but I also got to see how some people were just really unreliable and dishonest. I know that’s not all people, but it really caused me to have some major trust issues that I a working through still. 

I didn’t want anyone in my life because I didn’t want the hurt anymore. God doesn’t want that for me, He doesn’t want that for you. Jesus’ ministry is people! I cringed when I heard that. If I am to be like Jesus, I have to love people the way He does. I have to help people, pray for people, love on people, be generous to people, etc. Jesus is loving and radically generous. He serves and He gives without expectation. Just knowing that convicted me so much because I have to work through my hurt and forgive even when people don’t deserve it. I am to love, give, and serve, even if someone doesn’t deserve it because I don’t even deserve that. Jesus does all that for me, why can’t I be that for someone else? 

I know this might be a pretty convicting post but it is so needed. We need people. We aren’t perfect but we must love each other and serve one another anyways. It is the heart of Jesus. He loves people. Be blessed today, friends.

Written by Olivia Mancini