Reasons to Walk Through Life with Others

In Colossians 2:6 I read, “And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him.” (NLT)

The Bible often compares life to a walk because life is a journey—I’m not sitting still.

The New Testament repeatedly says that I should walk in wisdom, love, light, and obedience. It tells me to walk as Jesus walked—including walking alongside others.

Here are three reasons I’m learning for the need to walk with others:

It’s safer. Walking alone at night through a dark alley or down a lonely country road is a little scary. But if I have another person with me, I feel safer.

It’s supportive. Life is not a 50-yard dash; it’s a marathon. Walking with others gives me the energy to keep on going until the end. 

It’s smarter. I learn more by walking with others than by walking alone. If I’m walking alone in the wrong direction, I may never realize it. But if I have a friend beside you, one of us is likely to recognize that I’ve veered off the path. Then we can find the right direction together.

There are other ways I get smarter by walking with others, ones in which important lessons can be learned together.

I learn how to get along and cooperate with others.

I will also learn how to love. Genesis 2:18 says, “It is not good for the man to be alone” (NIV). Community is God’s answer to loneliness. When I walk alongside others, I find a community where I learn how to love.

Walking alongside others teaches you hospitality. The Bible says in 1 Peter 4:9, “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling” (NIV).

What’s my grumble? What’s my excuse for not opening my home to friends? Maybe I think, “My home is dirty!” Well, clean it up! Or perhaps my excuse is, “My home isn’t big enough.” Can I put three people in it? Jesus says, “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20 NIV).

Everybody has a longing for belonging because God made us for relationships. When I walk alongside other Christians in the community, I find that longing satisfied.

In summary, the Bible often compares life to a walk because life is a journey. I should walk in wisdom, love, light, and obedience. Scripture tells me to walk as Jesus walked—including walking alongside others. Here are some reasons I’m learning for the need to walk with others: It’s safer. Walking alone at night is a little scary. But if I have another person with me, I feel safer. It’s supportive. Life is not a 50-yard dash; it’s a marathon. Walking with others gives me the energy to keep on going. It’s smarter. I learn more by walking with others than by walking alone. If I’m walking alone in the wrong direction, I may never realize it. There are other ways I get smarter by walking with others. I learn how to get along and cooperate with others. I will also learn how to love. Community is God’s answer to loneliness. When I walk alongside others, I find a community where I learn how to love. Walking alongside others teaches me hospitality. Everybody has a longing for belonging because God made us for relationships. When I walk alongside other Christians in the community, I find that longing satisfied. 

Receiving Christ as Lord of my life is the beginning of life with Christ. But I must continue to follow his leadership by being rooted, built up, and strengthened in the faith.  Christ wants to guide and help me with my daily problems. I can live for Christ by (1) committing my life and submitting my will to him; (2) seeking to learn from him, his life, and his teachings; and (3) recognizing the Holy Spirit's power in me. 

Hold on for God’s Blessing

In Genesis 32:26 I read, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” (NIV)

When God blessed Jacob, he promised to give him land, multiply his family, make him a mighty nation, and use him to bless the world. He made Jacob and his family God’s chosen people.

But just like he does with me today, God gave Jacob a promise and then tested his faith in that promise.

In Genesis 32, Jacob struggled with God all night long in a wrestling match that tested his patience, faith, and trust. Then God injured Jacob at his hip and gave him a serious disadvantage. Jacob was hurt and tired, and yet, at dawn, he still said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me” (Genesis 32:26 NIV).

Isn’t that an interesting thing to say to somebody you’re wrestling with? Apparently sometime during this all-night struggle, Jacob became aware that the one he was wrestling with was no ordinary individual—but God. That meant God could bless him. And so, he refused to let go.

Maybe I feel like I’m wrestling with God right now, and the struggle is lasting way too long. Maybe I don’t want to do the things God has told me to do, like tithe or obey his rules for sex or be kind to my enemies.

The very God I’m wrestling with is the one who gives me my dream for my life. He’s the one who will make it happen! God’s not trying to thwart my dream. He’s getting me ready for it. My struggle will build my stamina, deepen my patience, and increase my resilience.

My wrestling match will also bring me to the point of commitment. Right at the moment when I think I’ve got to give up, I need to turn to God and say, “I’m in this struggle as long as it takes for you to do your good work within me and to bless me.”

That kind of response to God’s test will show him that I’m ready for his dream for my life.

In summary, when God blessed Jacob, he promised to give him land, multiply his family, make him a mighty nation, and use him to bless the world. But just like he does with me today, God gave Jacob a promise and then tested his faith in that promise. In Genesis 32, I see where Jacob struggled with God all night long in a wrestling match that tested his patience, faith, and trust. Then God injured Jacob and gave him a serious disadvantage. Jacob was hurt and tired, and yet, he still said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me”.An interesting thing to say to somebody you’re wrestling with. Sometime during this all-night struggle, Jacob became aware that the one he was wrestling with was no ordinary individual—but God. That meant God could bless him. So, he refused to let go. Maybe I’m wrestling with God right now, and the struggle is lasting way too long. Maybe I don’t want to do the things God has told me to do. The very God I’m wrestling with is the one who gives me my dream for my life. He’s the one who will make it happen! God’s not trying to thwart my dream. He’s getting me ready for it. My struggle will build my stamina, deepen my patience, and increase my resilience. My wrestling match will also bring me to the point of commitment. When I think I’ve got to give up, I need to turn to God and say, “I’m in this struggle as long as it takes for you to do your good work and to bless me.” That kind of response to God’s test will show him that I’m ready for his dream for my life.

Jacob continued this wrestling match all night just to be blessed. He was persistent. God encourages persistence in all areas of my life, including the spiritual. Where in my spiritual life do I need more persistence? Strong character develops as I struggle through tough conditions. 

What’s the Purpose of My Struggle?

In Proverbs 20:30 I read, “Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways.” (GNT)

Consider the biggest conflict or problem I’m facing right now. Without even knowing what it is, It can be boiled down to two basic issues. First, will I obey God and do the right thing in this situation? And, second, will I trust God to take care of this situation?

The root of so many problems is really my struggle with God. I want to be in control, I want to be God, I want to be the master of my faith, I want to be in charge, I want to call the shots. But I was never meant to be or do any of those things. So God uses a crisis in my life to force the issue.

Do I ever feel that dealing with my problems is like a wrestling match? The objective of wrestling is to pin the opponent down on the mat until they finally say, “I give up. I surrender! You’re in control.”

That’s what God was doing in his wrestling match with Jacob in the Old Testament. He was going to pin Jacob down until he surrendered and gave up control.

At one point in their wrestling match, God wounded Jacob’s hip, an injury that would give him a lingering limp. Jacob was suddenly in a position of helplessness and in a situation where he couldn’t win.

Even in the midst of my no-win situation, God is there. In fact, he often uses a crisis to get my attention. God whispers to me in my pleasure, but he shouts to me in my pain.

The Bible says, “Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways” (Proverbs 20:30 GNT). In other words, I don’t change when I see the light; I change when you feel the heat.

God loves me the way I am, but he loves me too much to let me stay that way. When he makes me go through a wrestling match, he’s making me into who I was meant to be—more like Jesus Christ. He makes me weak so that I learn to depend on him for everything I need.

I rarely change until my pain becomes greater than my fear of change. If I’m wrestling with God right now, surrender to him. Therein lies the only way forward on a path marked with spiritual growth and peace.

In summary, the biggest conflict or problem I’m facing can be boiled down to two basic issues. First, will I obey God and do the right thing in this situation? And, second, will I trust God to take care of this situation? The root of so many problems is really my struggle with God. I want to be in control. I was never meant to be. So God uses a crisis in my life to force the issue. Dealing with my problems is like a wrestling match? The objective of wrestling is to pin the opponent down until they finally say, “I give up. I surrender! You’re in control.” That’s what God was doing in his wrestling match with Jacob. He was going to pin Jacob down until he surrendered and gave up control. Even in the midst of my no-win situation, God is there. In fact, he often uses a crisis to get my attention. God whispers to me in my pleasure, but he shouts to me in my pain. Often it takes a painful experience to make me change my ways. I don’t change when I see the light; I change when you feel the heat. God loves me the way I am, but he loves me too much to let me stay that way. When he makes me go through a wrestling match, he’s making me into who I was meant to be—more like Jesus. He makes me weak so that I learn to depend on him. I rarely change until my pain becomes greater than my fear of change. If I’m wrestling, surrender to him. Therein lies the only way forward.