Fellowship

I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love.

Colossians 2:2

DARLA WALKED INTO the church with a heavy heart. She and her husband, Ken, had exchanged harsh words that afternoon. Plus, her work wasn’t going well. The boss repeatedly criticized her about her performance, even though she felt she did her best every time. And then one of their kids ended up in detention at school—something about talking back to the teacher.

She sat in the prayer meeting, not even sure she wanted to be there. One of her friends, Wanda, whooshed in, all smiles.

“How’re things going, Darla?” she chirped.

Darla shrugged. Wanda sat down. “You look like you just got run over by a Mack truck.”

For some reason, Darla began spilling it. Other members arrived and joined the discussion and prayed about Darla’s problems. She left that night feeling bolstered—encouraged that she was not alone in her struggles, but supported by friends and feeling a fresh sense of God’s presence and love. Their counsel had even given her some practical ideas on how to deal with her situations.

That’s the power and promise of fellowship. Whenever we face tough times, we can rest assured that we are not alone. As we look to other believers, they can give us the boost and the reminder of God’s power that we need.