Have you ever been alone in a really difficult situation?
The day after I was diagnosed with cancer, I awoke alone. We were new to the neighborhood. All family was out-of-state. My husband went to work. Our three little daughters needed breakfast. I needed to care for them. Alone.
At nine that morning, the doorbell rang. A neighbor who lived down the street and attended our church, dropped by with her contact information on a card. Five minutes later, the doorbell rang again. I was surprised to see a new friend I had met a few weeks earlier. She too, had read the church email and there she was, with three young children in tow, here to help me laugh and keep me positive, and above all, keep me company.
Over the following months and years, I would often recount that day to my dear friend. She always said it was nothing, but I knew better! Her presence that day was the best gift, the greatest comfort, I could possible have found from another human.
There are times when we need encouragement from each other.
In Mark 14: 32-41 (NIV), we find Jesus in need of human encouragement.
“They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I pray.’ He took Peter, James, and John along with him and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,’ he said to them. ‘Stay here and keep watch.'”
When Jesus said his ‘soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death’ and then asked the disciples to ‘stay here and keep watch’, he was asking them for their physical presence, their encouragement. Jesus needed them. He needed their presence. He was not asking for great words of wisdom. He wanted the encouragement of companionship only his dear friends could provide.
In this passage, Jesus demonstrated his humanity. He showed us we need each other.
Sometimes, someone may ask to spend time with us, and it may not easily fit into our schedules. What he may really desire is to spend time in our presence, to not be alone.
Jesus’ disciples were bone tired. We have all been there. The human body can only go so long without rest. Humanity took over, and they fell asleep.
I wonder if after the crucifixion, those disciples replayed the events of that day. Did they relive the conversation in the garden? Did each feel a deep sorrow for the inability to stay awake that night?
We need to really listen to what others are asking of us. Sometimes we do not ask for what we really want. We try to water down our needs. There is something about being straightforward which makes us uncomfortably vulnerable.
We need to be honest with ourselves, and each other. When we need a little encouragement, and a little prayer support, we need to simply ask. We should not feel shy about asking a brother or sister in the faith for spiritual support.
We also should try to be sensitive to what others are asking. We need to pray that God will show us what others are really requesting. We may be needed to encourage someone else.
I cannot express how the gift of the presence of those two ladies helped my heart that day. In an unfamiliar geographical spot, and an uncharted medical spot, how easily I could have been overwhelmed with grief and despair. Yet, the gift of their presence, their outreach, inspired me to think positively and know that I was not alone. Even in this new place, God was providing for me through His people. I pray that I can in turn do that for others.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You so much for how You have provided companionship and friendship for me throughout my life, but especially during those hard moments. Please prick my heart to be open to Your prodding when someone else is in need. Help me be sensitive to Your direction and someone else’s state. Thank You for Jesus’ example demonstrating You created us for companionship. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Reflections:
1) How can I pay better attention to the needs of others?
2) How can I be more honest with myself and with others, when I need encouragement?