It Is important to have *communion with God, and also with other believers.

Sometimes, as I have found out this week, even though you pray and give everything to God in faith, you carry stress on your shoulders until you feel ill, but you are unable to let go of it. I don’t know why this is, it just happens - maybe it is part of our humanity. Sometimes we need others to sit/stand alongside us when we pray. The disciples and early churches prayed together, we should too if it is possible. (Acts 1:13-15, 14:23, & 20:36, Ephesians 6:18, 2 Thessalonians 1:11, James 5:14, Revelation 8:3-4).

I know there are some people who are not able to meet in groups, and we often pray for those people in church. But where you can, I would advise that you do. It benefits everyone – especially those who are feeling a need of some kind.

Last week I was feeling very low. I have been feeling ‘under the weather’ for some time and just been getting on with life as best I could with as much thanksgiving as I could muster, because I know God is with me always. Then in church, out of the blue, I got upset and discovered that talking to just a couple of friends and allowing them to pray with me and for me made a big difference. Although I felt a little embarrassed at losing control of my feelings in front of people, I felt better as the day wore on, and better still over the next couple of days. I didn’t have to go into great detail about what was making me stressed. To be honest, I wasn’t sure exactly what the problem was. I think it was probably an accumulation of different things. But just having your friends pray for you is a great comfort, and, on top of that, God hears their prayers as well as yours, and he cannot ignore them. (Psalm 147:5).  Although, we do not always get an instantaneous response, (see Job’s testimony for an example), nor do we always get what we want - but that will only be because 1/ It is not in his will for some reason, or 2/ We are not asking for the right thing(s). This is where we need to trust his judgement over ours.

I believe he is happy to know that his people lean on and support each other. It is what Jesus did during his time on earth, and we know that he is our example of how to live.

The fact that we continue to pray, even when we are not feeling wonderful, is also something he acknowledges. Jesus was not feeling ready to go through the trials of execution when he prayed to his Father. He told the Father exactly how he felt, but still put it in God’s hands. (See Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, Matthew26:36-45).

So, we should put everything in God’s hands in the name of Jesus Christ, but also, if possible, let a few trusted friends know how you are feeling and allow them to pray with you and I’m sure they will continue to pray for you. And our heavenly Father, who loves us dearly, will hear and respond in some way.

This is how I understand my God.

Read for yourself, see what you think.

*Communion means; 1.the sharing or exchanging of intimate thoughts and feelings, especially on a mental or spiritual level.

2.the service of Christian worship at which bread and wine are consecrated and shared.