We Are Not Alone
We Are Not Alone
We are not alone. At the end of this day, I was considering how fortunate I have throughout my life. The people God has placed in my life to encourage, strengthen or guide me have been humbling and astounding. It is equally humbling and an incredible blessing as I have had the privilege to be a voice of encouragement and strength to people over the years.
We cannot do it alone. God never intended us to go it alone.
Watched a few movies for the umpteenth time: The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia, to be specific. My takeaway is the heroes needed each other. They couldn’t save anything or anyone without the other supporting characters. And none of them could do it in their own strength. There was always someone or something encouraging them at the critical moment.
Some of my other takeaways would be that evil was strong and pervasive. It is deceptive and relentless. In the end, although the toll was great, good won. It took great fortitude to push on but when they needed it, the direction or focus became clear. It also took imperfect beings joined together to achieve the goal: Goodness overcoming evil. It seems to me that even though these stories were written 50+ years ago the ideas could apply in our world today. I read a today, real life story about Tim Tebow with his foundation and their impact on many, but there was one in particular. Her name, Chelsie Watts. She had the fight of her life with cancer and her motto “God’s got this.” The story is really about the fact that we are not alone. Chelsie was not alone. She gained strength and inspiration from what would seem an unlikely source, Tim Tebow.
I’ve had some physical pain issues with a back injury. There are times it gets painful. Pain does crummy things to us in our heart and thinking but as I read this story about Chelsie and her struggle, I found I gained an attitude check, a heart check. I determined if Chelsie can then I can. My injury pales in comparison to her fight.
A few years ago Chelsie Watts went home with the Lord at peace and with a living legacy that will inspire and encourage thousands. Her forever encouragement to us all: “God’s got this.”
We are not alone.
There will be times we need a hero, an encourager, a solid rock of support. There will be times we need to be that person who brings strength, hope, and love to someone else.
This morning I am brought back to remember there is a bigger picture for my life to leave a living legacy of hope, strength, and love.
Paul taught us about the value of support and love. Here is what Paul said:
“And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:13 New International Version (NIV)
Paul’s words remind me of a prayer I have often prayed. Here it is in part:
“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me bring love.
Where there is offense, let me bring pardon.
Where there is discord, let me bring union.
Where there is error, let me bring truth.
Where there is doubt, let me bring faith.
Where there is despair, let me bring hope.
Where there is darkness, let me bring your light.
Where there is sadness, let me bring joy.”
Prayer of St Francis
It is easy to get caught up in our own world with it’s successes and failures; hopes and challenges. But, when we take a step back and ask God for His picture, His desire for our lives, He says: “Look up – I got this”
“Look out others need to know this; In the midst of where you are, I am with you.”
In the midst of our pain, sorrow, success, and hopes God’s love never ceases.
When we think we have no more to give we lean into God. As we turn our hearts toward Him, I have found it is at that point God steps in and gives us all we need to go on, to succeed, to get up, to give out, to love more.
Today are you willing to allow someone to be an encouragement to you? Are you willing to reach out to others with God’s love and hope?
