Where do we go when we are discouraged, confused, anxious, struggling with guilt, or lonely? The Christian answer to that is Jesus. In Jesus, God has made Himself available to us for our healing and restoration.
But how do we connect with Jesus?
When Jesus ascended into heaven, He gave the gift of the Holy Spirit to the church (1 Cor. 12:3).
However, the Spirit does not give everyone the same gifts. He gives a variety of gifts to a variety of people (see 1 Cor. 12:4–6).
In Ephesians 4, we read that to “each one us grace has been give as Christ apportioned it” (4:7) He gives different gifts to different people. He gave the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers “to equip his people for works of service” (4:12). So the pastors and teachers equip, but the equipping is so that the people can serve one another.
Consequently, our connection with people is crucial to our healing and growth. As people speak the truth in love, “we will grow to become in every respect the mature body.” The body “grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (4:16).
The point here is that there are a variety of gifts given to a variety of people to meet the needs of God’s people.
Now, why don’t we experience all that Christ has for us? The answer is that Jesus wants to give us His grace and His gifts, but He wants to do it through His people.
Oftentimes, when we are struggling with discouragement or anxiety, we think, “I need to go to Jesus for help.” That is true. I don’t want to downplay the importance of private communion with God.
However, we also can and should connect with Jesus through His people because He wants us to experience His grace through His people!
In other words, when we are feeling confused, discouraged, guilty, or hopeless, we need to seek out the people who have been gifted by Jesus to help us with such things. We can often isolate ourselves, but Jesus has the solution for us–waiting for us in connection with His people.
I have seen this over and over again in my life. I know that from time to time I can get in moments where I’m just stuck worrying or struggling with something. I can try to work through it on my own, but oftentimes I’m still stuck. Then, I can call a trusted friend to share it with. It’s amazing how often something that has gone round and round in my head can dissipate after connecting with a friend. I see it in a whole new light.
So, are you struggling with something today? Let me encourage you to connect with Jesus–through His church, His people. When you go to church this Sunday, look around at the congregation. These people represent the many gifts that Jesus has for you for your restoration and healing and growth in mutual service.