We don't have to go through it alone

Isaiah 41:10 (NLT) ¹⁰ Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

We go through spiritual trials, heartache and pain for many reasons; two of which are for our own personal growth and also to help others who may be going through a similar trial with our testimony.  However, often times we go through these things in silence, with desperation and sometimes even shame.  We are too afraid to let anyone know what is going on in our lives or too prideful to admit it; so we suffer in silence and often times not even knowing how to reach out to God.  Whether it's our own personal struggle, a family issue or some bad choice we have made that has put us on the wrong path; we tend to feel like we have to go through it alone.

It's ok to reach out to people; God did not place us here to always go through things alone.  He has placed people in our lives that truly care for us, people that will pray with and for us if we would just let them know we need it.  However, on the flip side it's not ok to share our issues with any and everyone.  Some people just love drama and being in the middle of other people's business. They have no Godly advice and surely don't have your best interests at heart.  They will tell you to do this or that out of emotion and without thought. The people I'm talking about are the ones who will pray with us and seeks God's counsel for our circumstances and situations. Trust me though; I know all too well how hard this can be.   

In the past this has been a very serious issue for me; I kept silent on many things for many years and it dug me into a hole of depression, shame and fear. I am guilty of being too prideful or afraid to reach out; so instead I suffered alone and it truly took its toll on me.  Sometimes I didn't reach out because the pain was too great or because I was embarrassed. Other times because of pride and I felt like I should be able to handle it on my own.  It took me a very long time to realize that I didn't have to go through it all alone; that God was there for me no matter what and that He loved me so much that He would sometimes place people in my life to help carry me through these tough times. 

Sometimes we know who we can talk to and other times we don't.  When we know of Godly people we need to pray that God will help us reach out to them.  When we are unsure of whom we can talk to then we can pray that He will send us spiritually guided people to pray with and for us.  Our circumstances do not determine who we are and should not cause us so much shame that we feel alone.  I can pretty much guarantee you that there is someone close to you that has gone through something similar to what you're going through. They are now a living witness that you can come out of your situation; that you're not alone and God sent them to help you through.

Once we build up that strength to first and for most reach out to God and then to those spiritual people that He blesses us with, we can then begin to heal and make it through.  What's even better; after, and even while, making it through we can be a blessing to someone else.  Our struggle can soon be our testimony for someone else.  Through you, they can see the greatness of God and His faithfulness.