by Anna Haiar

We’re Not Meant to do Life Alone

“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow.”
Ecclesiastes 4:9–10, English Standard Version

The other day, I walked outside and discovered that my lilac bush had become the gathering place for what seemed like hundreds of ladybugs. One tiny ladybug is easy to overlook. But hundreds of them, gathered together on the branches of my lilac, were impossible to miss. It made me think about how God created us for community.

We live in a culture that celebrates independence. We’re encouraged to be strong, self-sufficient, and capable of handling things on our own. And while there’s certainly nothing wrong with being strong, I don’t think God ever intended for us to live as though we don’t need anyone else. There are seasons when we need someone to pray for us because we’re too tired to find the words ourselves. There are days when we need a friend to sit beside us without trying to fix anything. There are moments when someone else’s encouragement gives us just enough strength to keep going.

And there are also times when we get to be that person for someone else.

Like those little ladybugs covering my lilac bush, there is something beautiful about gathering together. We may each be small, but together we become something that cannot be overlooked. That’s part of the beauty and importance of Christ’s church. We come from different backgrounds, different stories, different seasons of life. Some of us are thriving. Some are barely hanging on! Some are carrying burdens no one else can see. But when we gather together as a church body, we encourage, pray, carry one another, and minister to one another.

I’m grateful for the reminder that God never intended for us to do this life by ourselves. Sometimes the greatest beauty can be found in gathering together.

Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado.