2. Lean on Community During the Storm
The apostle Paul experienced countless unexpected difficulties in life. He faced hardship, beatings, riots, attacks, rejection, shipwrecks, robbery and near death experiences. As bad as these pains were, there was one pain that was the worst of them all: verbal abuse and disloyalty.
Paul had spent nearly two years of his life serving the church in the City of Corinth. And how did the church repay him for all of the time he had spent with them? They turned on him. False teachers came into the church and began attacking Paul’s character and reputation. They started spreading lies about Paul and his ministry. It became so bad that many people in the church believed these false teachers, and then joined them in spreading the lies.
Have you ever been there before? You’ve done your best to serve your company faithfully and loyally. You’ve led by example with upstanding character. And then a co-worker comes along and tries to destroy you. They start spreading rumors about you and it feels like the entire office turns on you.
Or maybe it’s your extended family. You’ve done your best to be the peace maker in your family and then they turn on you. You’ve sown seeds of peace only to reap a harvest of pain. You’ve sown seeds of integrity and then reaped a harvest of insults.
That was Paul. He had invested two years of his life teaching, strengthening and encouraging the church. And now they’ve turned on him … and it’s eating Paul alive. Here’s how Paul describes it:
“When we arrived in Macedonia, there was no rest for us. We faced conflict from every direction, with battles on the outside and fear on the inside” (2 Corinthians 7:5, NLT).
The battle on the outside was all of the persecution Paul faced. But the fear on the inside was the anxiety Paul experienced over the relational strain with the church in Corinth. But then something happens that begins to restore Paul’s hope.
“But God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus. His presence was a joy, but so was the news he brought of the encouragement he received from you. When he told us how much you long to see me, and how sorry you are for what happened, and how loyal you are to me, I was filled with joy!” (2 Corinthians 7:6-7).
How did Paul make it through this particular storm? He had a friend to encourage him. Just when he thought he couldn’t make it any longer—just when the depression felt like it was going to overtake him—his friend Titus arrives with good news. And therein lies an important truth.
Nobody likes to walk through the dark alone. But when you have a friend, the dark feels just a little less dark. That was true for me and Karen.
When my heart and lungs failed, we were simply overwhelmed by the extraordinary expressions of love. Karen counted 67 people in the waiting room during those first couple of days in the hospital. At one point, 10 people were standing in my ICU room (which of course I was oblivious to). The nurses had to put their foot down and insist the number of visitors be reduced.
When things were at their worst, Karen turned to a pastor friend in the waiting room and said, “I think we’ll need someone to cover the pulpit for a couple of weeks.” A couple of weeks turned into six … including Easter Sunday.
Our associate pastor and his wife, Klen and Audrey Kuruvilla, took the lead at 7 City Church. They were like a rock, loyal and devoted, as I recovered. Klen wrote in my journal words of encouragement and then signed it, “Holding your arms” (Exodus 17:11-13). Truly he did.
I received cards, flowers, fruit arrangements and more sugar cookies than I could eat (I love sugar cookies). After eight days in the hospital, I returned home. Friends brought meals for three weeks. A couple of friends decorated our living room for my birthday. Another friend mowed my lawn for several weeks. And people stopped by to visit, encourage and pray for us.
I always thought I understood community before my surgery, but I can say that now I truly do. In this experience, the words Jesus spoke to his disciples suddenly found deep meaning in my soul.
“Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other” (John 13:34-35, MSG).
What’s my point? When the storms hit, lean on your community. Don’t try to do it alone. As awkward as it might feel, let others come alongside of you in your deepest time of need.
3. Serve Community After the Storm
Paul received comfort and encouragement from his friend Titus, but he didn’t let the power of community end with himself. He recognized the importance of returning the favor to others in need. He writes:
He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us (2 Corinthians 1:4, NLT).
When we find ourselves back on our feet, we have the responsibility to serve our community. We must give, serve and love. Or as the Message paraphrase says it: “He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us” (2 Corinthians 1:4).
Is life going well for you? If so, take time now to invest in community. Has the unexpected suddenly disrupted your life? If so, lean on your community where you’ll find encouragement and support. Or has the storm in your life recently passed? If so, take time to serve others who are facing their own storms. Before, during and after … there’s a role to play on every side of community.
