There is no doubt that there is strength in numbers…when confronting an enemy in war, the most successful tactic is often using “overwhelming force” right out of the gate. Wolves travel in a pack. Bats gather in a colony. Bees move in a swarm. Elephants walk in a parade. Geese group in a gaggle. Lions live in a pride. Otters exist in a family. Church members belong to a congregation. There are examples of how a wide variety of species gather in large numbers. God has instilled in all of us the purest instinct of safety and strength: life as part of a whole.

Naturally, Satan finds ways to use all things against us. Those who feel disconnected and alone are typically more susceptible to the lure of a cult. He will use our need to belong and be part of something bigger than ourselves to tempt us to seek out the wrong person or crowd, and to turn away those whom God sends into our lives for our good. We often want to travel the path of least resistance because it is more comfortable than choosing to take the path that takes more work. That is why we find it so hard to forgive when we’ve been hurt by those we love. It’s easier to turn our backs and shut them out. It takes courage and strength to face them and accept their love. It takes work. Love is a choice. Forgiveness is a choice. Refusing to do either is also a choice, but not the one God commands us to make.

Looking back through the years, it is easy to find examples of how great things are accomplished when many come together for one common goal. The human chain working to pull a dog from the edge of certain death in a raging river. Back in the early 1970’s, a woman named Crystal Lee Sutton was willing to stand against the J.P. Stevens textile mill’s unfair labor practices, and encourage much needed support from the white community towards the evolution of labor unions. Even decades after the poverty and desperation of the Great Depression, the lasting effects of resignation at having to accept terrible work conditions just to survive still plagued a number of communities across the country. It took people joining together in unions to fight for what was right. There have been several worker strikes across the country, where people banded together and chose to walk out, risking their employment in order to get the change they needed.

The reality is that we, as children of God, must also choose to come together for one purpose: to serve the Lord. We must be there for one another. We must stop judging each other and criticizing each other. We must stop shutting each other out because we are afraid. We must open our hearts and love one another. We must also reach out and love those that are the most difficult to love…including those that refuse to love us back. And all of these things we must do because we choose to love the God who loves us so unconditionally.

I wrote recently about the amazing experience we had during the course of our Sunday service at church. In hindsight, I am able to see the hand of God very clearly in what transpired and why. Our worship choir meets prior to the start of church services to get warmed up and ready. Last Sunday, it became apparent that one of our number was in the midst of some kind of a struggle. When asked if he was okay, he was unable to control his emotions as he told us of all he was going through. This is a man who is so genuinely good natured and has been blessed with a bright and happy disposition. As it turned out, he had been struggling with the onset of panic attacks, which were so severe, he had to go to the ER.

At the time, he didn’t understand what was happening to him, and it was his trip to the emergency room that brought the core issue to light. However, he still didn’t know what was triggering so much anxiety and panic. After telling us all of his battle in progress, we gathered around him and prayed for his peace and healing. It was his openness and willingness to share his burden that sparked the beginning of the amazing day we would all experience. The last song of our worship set was a duet between our Worship Pastor and one of our wonderful lead vocalists. Prior to starting their song, the vocalist chose to offer her own testimony of pain and struggle before the congregation. The spark was growing.

After the conclusion of their song, our pastor stepped up and, as I said the other day, set aside his prepared sermon and spoke from his heart. The spark had become a flame, and as the service progressed, we were quickly becoming one large bonfire…dozens of sparks turned to flame, joining together as one to create a light and warmth that produced an honest-to-goodness revival among our church family. Strength in numbers… if it hadn’t been for the courage of one man, who chose to reveal his burden, and the courage of another woman to fan that flame with her own revelations, our pastor wouldn’t have been moved by the Lord to take a different path that day.

You never know who, when, or how God will use His children, but you can be sure that He always has a higher purpose, and any pain or suffering will not be in vain. No matter what we suffer during the course of our lives, it’ll never be more than the Son of God chose to bear on our behalf. And just like Him, we’ll never take one step of the journey alone.