by Kelly Dixon
Reading: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
This past weekend we held our annual Ladies for Jesus Leadership Team retreat in beautiful Destin, Florida. The weather was a little too cold to enjoy the area we were blessed to be in but the beauty of the place could not be taken away. Everything was enjoyable from God’s creation of a beautiful sunrise and sunset to the talent He gave man to create a beautiful water fountain in the front of the condos. However, what was the most enjoyable was how the leadership team was able to reunite during this weekend together.
Reading: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
This past weekend we held our annual Ladies for Jesus Leadership Team retreat in beautiful Destin, Florida. The weather was a little too cold to enjoy the area we were blessed to be in but the beauty of the place could not be taken away. Everything was enjoyable from God’s creation of a beautiful sunrise and sunset to the talent He gave man to create a beautiful water fountain in the front of the condos. However, what was the most enjoyable was how the leadership team was able to reunite during this weekend together. Many things hinder us from fellowship with our fellow Christians. It could be our health, our jobs, our families, etc. However, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 shows us how two (or more) together can encourage each other for the strength they need. It can be extremely difficult on your own to battle the enemy and the temptations of your own flesh, but God sends others to help you in your walk with Him. When you are in fellowship with others, the help you receive can take many different forms. By setting a good Christian example, others may be able to help you to better give to God all the challenges you're currently having in your life. Those challenges may include everything from a lack of disciplining yourself to spend time with Him to losing your temper often. One way that the LFJ Leadership Team has discovered in helping each other is by establishing accountability partners! (Next week I will talk more about what it means to be an accountability partner.) Fellowship might just be for the purpose of your having a good, spirit-filled Christian friend to socialize with, or maybe even for God to work through YOU to help the other person you're in fellowship with!
Have you been forsaking the fellowship by not making time to be around other Christians? What is standing in your way of reuniting and making the bond stronger? As you think about the answer to this question, think about what you are saying to God when you decide to forsake the fellowship. A few things I can think of are,
“I’m strong enough to handle life on my own.
I don’t need God’s help through others.”
or
“I have too many troubles of my own to worry
about who God wants me to help by reuniting with others.”
I don’t need God’s help through others.”
or
“I have too many troubles of my own to worry
about who God wants me to help by reuniting with others.”
Whatever the statement or reason you are giving to not fellowship with other Christians, I hope this Scripture from Hebrews proves to be a louder voice:
“Let us not give up meeting together,
as some are in the habit of doing,
but let us encourage one another—
and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
as some are in the habit of doing,
but let us encourage one another—
and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Hebrews 10:25 (NIV)
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I know you have given me others so that I may be strengthened in You. Help me to put aside all the things that hinder me from fellowship with other Christians. Through them You make me strong and I know You want to use me to help others also. It’s by Your Son’s name I pray. Amen.
