“I need you to…” her voice trembles with fear, afraid to offend, afraid of saying something selfish. She pauses, gulps, and continues, “I need you to fight.” Her eyes lock on with her friends and fill with tears threatening to burst at the next blink. The recipient of this exhortation lays still soaking in the plea of her beloved friend. She’s tired. She’s distressed and discouraged. She wants to let go. She sees no fruit of the labor and has believed the lies of the Devil. She’s beginning to lose hope, to lose faith. The words of her friend sting and begin to stir something deep inside. She feels like sleeping beauty after she touched the forbidden spindle. Her forbidden spindle was sin. Her perfectionist heart wants to give up and not believe God could save her from her thoughts and sin. But He does. God sends His people to minister to her. The very fruit she couldn’t see was now giving her manna to feast on. She wearily lifts her head feeling unworthy to look at the face of God after continual betrayal and yet her friend is there to lift her hands as God lifts her head. 

Her friend reminds her of the Gospel. 

Her friend reminds her of the lost in the world that needs to hear the gospel. 

Her friend reminds her of her purpose: To glorify God. 

Her friend reminds her how this purpose is fulfilled: through Christ alone. We empty ourselves to be filled by His Spirit. She reminds her, “He will complete what He began…”

I know of someone who was in a spiritual coma. She was spiritually sick. Her face is now where it should be…beholding God. 

Dear reader I was in a spiritual coma six years ago and thought it was over for me. I learned during that season God is the one that holds us fast. When we ‘let go’ we find that He never does. This experience helped me to understand what Peter must have felt when Jesus restored him after denying Him. I also remember the charge given to Peter, “…and once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Jesus also told Peter to, “Tend my lambs,” “Shepherd My Sheep” “Tend My sheep.”

My face is now beholding my God and Savior Jesus Christ. By His grace, today I strengthen my brethren in a gentle and compassionate way because I know I am beset with weaknesses. I am praying you behold God and walk out the good works He has prepared for you. Be steadfast.

“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be God, who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”  I Corinthians 15:56-58