Don't Isolate Yourself

Scripture Reading - Ecc. 4:9-12 "Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall , the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth ; for he hath not another to help him up . Again, if two lie together , then they have heat : but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken."

As I look back to the times in my life when I have seemed to struggle the most in my Christian walk, there has been one common thread. I felt as though I was going through these things by myself. I felt very alone in these times. When people are suffering from depression, one of the first things they will do is isolate themselves from their friends, family, and church. Isolation is a very difficult problem to deal with. Our very avenues to help are cut off. I explained to a friend of mine just what I thought the importance of church attendance was. I told him this is the way I look at it, church is a place where I can find help in times of trouble and greater still it is a place where I can help others when they need it. Church fellowship destroys isolation. It keeps us in the loop, so to say. We need that weekly contact with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We need to develop relationships, don't wait for someone to approach you, go up to someone introduce yourself, invite them to your home, get to know them, be available for them, they in turn will be available for you.

I don't know what I would do without my inner circle of close friends. I have learned to value and cultivate our relationships. I have come to the conclusion that the times in my life that I felt I was alone were caused by me and my reluctance to make good use of the wonderful people God had surrounded me with. Above all, don't discount that God wants to be our close intimate friend also and we have to cultivate our relationship with Him above all else. Draw near to Him and He will draw near unto us. This life is not meant to be lived alone. Try to contact your friends at least two to three times a week. There are wonderful networking opportunities available to us, Facebook, Myspace, our local church, a walk in the neighborhood. Take the time to get to know one another. I don't know where I heard this statement, but it rings so true, "He who has many friends, must be found to be friendly."

Be Blessed and Live in the NOW!!!