Confess your faults to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. (James 5: 16)

A member of our congregation wrote to me recently saying, “I was just thinking Sunday, about being alone. About how wonderful it is to have my church family. About how down I can feel, but being with you folks brings the joy back into my heart…”

We all feel alone at times. It’s part of the human condition, and loneliness is a terrible burden if we allow it to be. But this woman has learned through personal experience that her church family is there for her. Not so long ago she was hospitalized with a heart condition and members of the church prayed intensely for her recovery. Many, including the pastor, paid daily visits to the hospital while she was there.

James exhorts us to “pray for one another” and Paul tells us to “bear one another’s burdens.” This is a strong Christian principle which some churches miss because of their structure of small groups who fail to see the broader picture. Christianity has never been a theology or philosophy of individuality. Christ surrounded himself with followers who loved Him and He loved them. It is a society of believers who lift one another and pray for one another.

Even people who have never known a physical family can be caught up in the love of a church family. The church is designed to be a supportive and uplifting group. That is true throughout the scriptures. So it is no wonder that this person feels so strongly about feeling joy when experiencing the fellowship of other believers. Psychologists will confirm that more people in the world today find the support and love they need within families of choice than within birth families. God’s wisdom is evident in the families of choice who uplift and pray for one another daily.

God of love and wisdom, I thank You for the family You have given me within my church. Thank You for the support I feel in loving friends!