Together in the Hard Seasons of Life

If you’ve ever gone through a really tough time, you know how important it is to have someone who will simply be present—someone who will sit with you, pray with you, and even weep with you. Sometimes the greatest comfort isn’t advice or answers, but the quiet assurance that you are not alone.

That’s why God wants you to have the support of a church family—so you won’t have to walk through inevitable times of crisis by yourself.

Nobody should ever have to wait in a hospital alone while a loved one is in a risky surgery. Nobody should have to sit alone waiting for a potentially life-altering lab report. Nobody should stand alone at the edge of a new grave.

Painful situations will happen in your life, and wisdom says to put a safety net in place before you ever need it.

What is God’s safety net for you? It’s a group of believers who are committed to you—and whom you are committed to in return. It’s people who know your story, recognize your pain, and show up without being asked.

So, who is committed to you right now? Who would be by your side in an instant if you needed them, helping carry the weight when you feel like you can’t? And who can count on you to be there for them at a moment’s notice?

The Bible says, “You should be like one big happy family, full of sympathy toward each other” (1 Peter 3:8 TLB).

My small group has helped me through some very difficult seasons, and we’ve faced all kinds of hardships together. They’ve prayed for me, waited with me, and wept with me when I was scared to death. They’ve lived out Romans 12:15: “Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep” (NLT).

Are you part of a small group of committed people who will wait and weep with you? Don’t go through life without one—because community is God’s answer to despair.