Last month I wrote about using God’s Word (the Bible) to grow in trusting God’s helping us through life. At the end I mentioned that God also gives us encouragement and help through other people. Dealing with the ups and downs of life; no one is alone.

Even as God works in us, as the Holy Spirit uses the Word, to strengthen our faith He also uses other Christians around us. The first that God uses is our parents. With them we can think of family and friends who are there for us. Then we can also think of teachers, counselors, pastors and others who may say or do things that help us. They are all there giving us help as they are living their faith.

God’s Word is full of passages that encourage Christians to help one another. Starting with the second greatest commandment, “Love our neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39) we can find many, many more passages that speak of help, love, hospitality, compassion, sharing, etc. in dealing with other people. Such passages declare not only how Christians are to treat others, but it does two things for us.

First, as I have been sharing, is the assurance that we are not alone in dealing with hurts, troubles, trials, doubts, frustrations and pain. As God promises to be with us He also has sent other believers to come to our aid. Secondly, we are also given the opportunity to not just focus on ourselves, but remember that we are there for others as well. Looking to help others in need counteracts the negative feelings of our troubles and lifts us up as we help them.

Thus the struggles we have been helped through become a source for us to help others. Knowing what we have been through and how we have been helped, we can identify with what someone is going through. We can share with them how God has been there and helped us by His presence and also by working through other people. In sharing how God has helped us we bring hope and encouragement.

To learn more about the help God gives or how you can share that help with others, please visit or contact St. Paul Lutheran Church, Fredonia (672-6731), Immanuel Lutheran Church, Gowanda (532-4342), or Trinity Lutheran Church, Silver Creek (934-2002).