A few weeks ago, in the twilight zone between waking and sleeping, I had this picture that’s been circulating in my mind since.
In this story I had been in a dark, pitch black pit for some time, stuck in the depths of despair. Suddenly I began to see the beginnings of an opening above me, and as the opening got wider I could see the brilliant light of the sun and the blue sky above. As the door of the pit widened still, what emerged was many hands reaching down to help me up and up into the light, and faces with radiant smiles and shouts of encouragement. When I reached up and was pulled out, I started joining others to reach down and help those who were still in the pit.
It’s not a new thing but somehow I’ve been feeling the desire to share this picture. All human life is entwined and we are alive to be loved and to love each other out of dark places. If you are struggling in this season of your life, know that you are not alone – ask God to bring help and then don’t be afraid to look for help and take it when it comes. We all need each other, there is no shame in asking. It’s part of what life is about, to be dependent on others when you are in a time of need. I have definitely experienced this in my life and i simply wouldn’t be at the place where I am today if not for having people around me to support and encourage me.
The other thing that spoke to me is the times when you feel a heavy burden for a friend who is in need. Know that you aren’t alone either – God has placed others around to help that person too. Each one of us does our part for that friend but we are part of a bigger picture that this friend is experiencing in life, so don’t be overburdened. Ask others to join you in reaching out to this friend if you can too. For me this is such a freeing thought – that I’m not superman and am not supposed to try to save the whole world – just to play a part in reaching out to those around me. And I’ve found that sometimes it’s not the big things that can make a positive impact on someone’s life but the small, insignificant things that have ripple effects you would never even dream of. It is such a privilege to witness change happening in someone’s life, and each one of us is also made to enjoy this privilege.
The love of God shines brightly down on the earth, He gives us the grace and strength through joy to live and love each other into life. So let’s go on doing it together 🙂
This post is contributed by Melissa Quek and shared with permission.
Photo credit: darkmatter / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND