Others Are There for Us

Then He returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” He said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour?

Mark 14:37 (NIV)

There comes a time in our lives when—regardless of our strength, motivation, or objectivity—we need the support and comfort of others. When such moments arise, we must accept the situation and humbly turn to others for support. It is a fact of life: we all need help—at least once—to overcome our trials. That is the very essence of our relationships; each of us will need help at some point, and others will need to stand by us.

In the account of Jesus’ final moments, we see that despite His leadership, authority, and divinity, He reached a point where He had a compelling need for His friends to pray with Him. Not just once, but three times, He asked His disciples to keep watch and pray with Him. He did not let His status as a leader or the Son of God cause Him to push them away during His anguish. Returning to them after each time of prayer demonstrated just how precious their presence—body and soul—was to Him during that period of suffering.

I know we sometimes tend to believe that others cannot truly help us in certain situations—especially on a spiritual level—if we feel they lack the necessary maturity. Yet, God sometimes allows us to experience these moments of needing others in order to teach us humility and a spirit of service. If Jesus, in His anguish, openly expressed His need for prayer and the presence of others, then you, too, surely have a great need for it. He was the Son of God and had angels at His side. When you face a problem, do not think you must bear it alone; turn to others, and God will give them a word of comfort to lift you up.

May the grace and peace of God be with you.