Two are better than one: They get a good wage for their toil. If the one falls, the other will help the fallen one. But woe to the solitary person! If that one should fall, there is no other to help. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)
This verse hearkens back to one from Genesis, at the very beginning of it all: It is not good for man to be alone.
Regardless of what you believe about God or faith in general, I think most of us can agree that we humans were created with a desire for belonging.
We live, grow, bond and work in community. Like it or not, interaction with other people is at the core of who we are. We encourage and nurture each other through whatever life throws our way.
True, we all need time to be alone and recharge our batteries. But what happens when we don't want to deal with other people, or feel like we can't? What if we don't feel valued or safe?
We shut down. And soon, the only company we're left with is our own pain, anxiety, or shame.
Isolation dulls our minds and crushes our spirits. And chances are good that our relationships will suffer as well.
The same can be said for our life with God. When we pull away from Him, we cut ourselves off from the support and grace He wants to give us.
Nurturing those critical relationships take honesty, commitment and vulnerability. It might make us squirm in the moment, but it stretches our capacity to give and receive love, to heal, to forgive, and ultimately, to thrive.
Maybe it's time to call a friend you haven't seen in a while ... or have a heart-to-heart with a spouse ... or take five minutes to pray. Think about it.
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