A Team That Sticks Together 

Alicia Cardie

Ready:

“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” Hebrews 10:23-25

Set:

It was the weekend before Thanksgiving. Three days of competition were all that separated me, a homesick college freshman, from my family. During that competition, I grew increasingly anxious, and the days dragged on forever. “Will this ever end? Will I ever get to go home?”

Sure, it was only three days, but we all know that any situation where we’re anxious, fearful, or losing hope can start to feel like a sense of forever very quickly. In the end, it was my team that made the difference. Their encouragement, whether a simple word or a bear hug, gave me the strength to continue to the end, and that’s how it should be for believers in Christ as well.

God never intended for us to take on life alone. He made us so that when we have community, we have hope, and it is a trick of the enemy to draw us away and leave us isolated in fear. We’re on God’s team, and a team sticks together, so that each person has the strength to continue to the end.

Go:

1. Can you think of an instance when your team carried you through a difficult time?

2. Who are some of your teammates in Christ that will be there for you at all times?

3. How can YOU be there for your fellow believers this week given the current social climate?

Workout:

• Proverbs 17:17
• 1 Corinthians 12:25-26
• Galatians 6:2

Overtime:

“Lord, thank You for surrounding me with people I can lean on. Help me to remember the strength and hope I have in community, even in times when I want to pull away. I want to be able to encourage and be encouraged within Your team, the Church.”