When Going Alone Is not Working
Devotional week 23
“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labour: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.” Ecclesiastes 4:9 (NIV)
Some of my earliest memories of community were shaped by the people around me during my childhood. Back then, it felt like life moved a little slower, and people leaned on each other more naturally. One memory that has stayed with me is of a family of three brothers in our neighbourhood. Their bond wasn’t just something they spoke about. It was something you could see in action. The older brothers teamed up to help the youngest build his house. When that was done, they helped the next. By the time I was a teenager, all three had built homes together. They did not wait until they had it all figured out individually. They moved forward by lifting one another.
Many of us have been taught to be strong, to “push through,” and not to bother others with our problems. But beneath the surface, the pressure builds. Isolation sets in. And slowly, silently, we burn out. God never intended for us to face life alone. Ecclesiastes reminds us that two are better than one, not just for efficiency, but for support. And isn’t that precisely what happened at Pentecost? In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit did not fall on individuals scattered in their corners. He came upon a community, gathered in unity and prayer. The early Church didn’t launch through isolated effort—it exploded through collaboration.
God still works that way today. Whether in the boardroom, the classroom, or the farm, He places people in our lives for a reason. Not just for us to help them, but so they can help us too.
So if you’ve been trying to hold everything together on your own, maybe it’s time to pause. Could it be that God wants to carry you further, but with others beside you?
You were never meant to go it alone. Together is how we go far.
Reflection
Where in my life have I been trying to go it alone? Who is God calling me to invite into the journey?
Prayer
Lord, thank You for the gift of community. Help me resist the urge to isolate and instead choose connection. Surround me with people I can trust and give me the grace to be that kind of person for others, too. Amen.