A Little Help

Did you ever have one of those days when you feel like you just don't have the energy or the strength to keep pushing forward.  When life has worn you out, and while you really want to stay positive, you just don't know if you can keep fighting.  When that same old hurt, failure, or disappointment rears its ugly head yet again, even though you thought you had surrendered it to God a long time ago.  When you know God's leading you right where He wants you to be, and yet you still have to hurdle so many obstacles along the way.  You're just tired.  And despite all your determination, you can't do it alone.  You need a little help.

In Exodus 17, the Israelites are making their way out of Egypt toward the Promised Land when they get attacked.  So Moses tells Joshua to take some men and fight.  Moses stood at the top of the hill with the staff of God in his hands, while they were fighting.  As long as Moses held up his hands, they would win, but as soon as he would lower them, the tide would turn.

Moses knew that God had called him to lead the Israelites.  He knew that God was taking them to the Promised Land.  Moses knew he was exactly where God had called him to be.  Moses also knew that by surrendering this battle to God, God would win it for them.  It was proven that God was fighting for them as long as Moses kept the staff of God raised.  But Moses was tired. And despite all of his determination, he couldn't do it alone.  He needed a little help.  And that's why I love Exodus 17:12 so much. 

When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.

I don't believe we were meant to do life alone.  I don't believe we're meant to face trials and fight battles alone.  Yes, we need to work on building our relationship with Christ, and leaning hard into Him first and foremost, but I also believe that we need to surround ourselves with a few good friends as well.  We all need a support system.  We all need people in our lives who will come along side of us and encourage us.  We all need friends who will recognize our weak areas and help us remain steady when we're faltering.  We all need accountability.  We all need people who will rally around us and help us fight through the difficult times we will inevitably face along the way.

I'm so thankful that God's brought people into my life that have helped me in so many ways.  I have friends who love me no matter what and are a great encouragement, and I have friends who truly understand some of my deepest unmet desires and can empathize right along with me.  I have friends that will call me out when I'm wandering off track and hold me accountable to making sure I'm pursuing God's will over my own.  I have friends who I've walked with through some really rough times, who have experienced similar hard decisions, and who have been through hell and back with me. 

I think the common denominator among all of my closest friends is centered around the fact that they all love God, and we all mutually spur one another on to become more like Christ.  And I love that when we feel tired and just can't go on, God gives us friends to lift us up and help us win the battles we face in life.  God provides a little help through our friends.