Christianity is a group project--a fellowship.
The key to joy in our dealings with others is single mindedness. The spirit of cooperation, unity, harmony, and confidence shared between Christians is essential to joy in the midst of trial and testing. Sadly, I think it's possible to have unity without harmony. But both are essential.
Perhaps there is a Christian friend you know who is in the midst of trying circumstances--or even been through tough times in their past experiences. (In fact, doesn't that apply to every Christian you know?) When is the last time you just walked by and told him or her that you were praying for them--that you cared for them and knew that God cared too? When was the last time you just patted him or her on the back or touched their arm and told them how much their testimony during tough times had encouraged and been a blessing to you? When is the last time you sent him or her a note in the mail just to let them know you were thinking of them? Or even just a postcard with a verse or two of encouragement? Those little things are of great joy to someone in the midst of circumstances that are trying to sap his or her joy in the Lord.
So often we promise to pray for someone in such a situation and then fail to do so, or do so for a little while and then forget about them. Usually, because we become all wrapped up in our own needs. We need to continue to pray for those in trial and testing because the testimony and faithfulness of our Savior and His gospel are on trial as well. If our single minded purpose in life is that Christ be magnified--that the vision of Him be enlarged so that all can see His glory--we will with all diligence uphold and encourage those that are His. We will earnestly pray that Christ might be seen in them by all those who are watching. And they are watching. Stand fast in, with, together, and for the faithfulness of the gospel and the people of God. "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."
The key to joy in our dealings with others is single mindedness. The spirit of cooperation, unity, harmony, and confidence shared between Christians is essential to joy in the midst of trial and testing. Sadly, I think it's possible to have unity without harmony. But both are essential.
Perhaps there is a Christian friend you know who is in the midst of trying circumstances--or even been through tough times in their past experiences. (In fact, doesn't that apply to every Christian you know?) When is the last time you just walked by and told him or her that you were praying for them--that you cared for them and knew that God cared too? When was the last time you just patted him or her on the back or touched their arm and told them how much their testimony during tough times had encouraged and been a blessing to you? When is the last time you sent him or her a note in the mail just to let them know you were thinking of them? Or even just a postcard with a verse or two of encouragement? Those little things are of great joy to someone in the midst of circumstances that are trying to sap his or her joy in the Lord.
So often we promise to pray for someone in such a situation and then fail to do so, or do so for a little while and then forget about them. Usually, because we become all wrapped up in our own needs. We need to continue to pray for those in trial and testing because the testimony and faithfulness of our Savior and His gospel are on trial as well. If our single minded purpose in life is that Christ be magnified--that the vision of Him be enlarged so that all can see His glory--we will with all diligence uphold and encourage those that are His. We will earnestly pray that Christ might be seen in them by all those who are watching. And they are watching. Stand fast in, with, together, and for the faithfulness of the gospel and the people of God. "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."
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