Most of us, at some point in our lives, will experience a crisis. A job loss, the death of a loved one, a betrayal, a health crisis, a crisis of faith – there are a number of things that can make it feel like our world is crashing down around us.

Recently on The Joe Sikorra Show, Joe was discussing resilience, and explained one of the key components to help you get through such a crisis. He said:

“You’re going to encounter calamity, and you will need people to help you get through it. You’re going to have to find caring, supportive, loving, protecting people to help you in times of crisis.

These people, this strong social network, are not people who will necessarily have the answers. They’re not necessarily people who are going to lift you up out of the hole. They are going to be people who are just willing to stand there with you as you go through the crisis, as you tell your story, as you share your journey. They are willing to be with you.

See, your troubles don’t go away, but you’ll hopefully get some positive feedback, they’ll offer you prayer, they might have some solutions to your problems. And God tells us in Scripture that some friends come and go, but a true friend sticks by you through thick and thin.

In Ecclesiastes, the writer says that it is better to have a partner than to go it alone. He says:

‘If the one falls, the other will help the fallen one. But woe to the solitary person! If that one should fall, there is no other to help.’ – Ecclesiastes 4:10

By yourself you are unprotected, but with a friend you can face the worst. A three-fold cord is not easily snapped.

Do you have friends? One of the ways you’re going to get through difficult times is not through the power of you. It’s through the power of God, and sometimes God is going to give you other people, brothers and sisters to stand with you.

God has given you a family. And God wants you to reach out to this family when you’re struggling. Some of the resilience is going to be the strength that you find through prayer, from God, and sometimes it’s going to be because you reach out to other people who are going to say, ‘Hey, I will pray for you. I will be here for you. I will lay down my life for you.’

You and I will see the end of our time, and at some point we’re going to be asked this question: When I was hungry, did you feed me? When I was thirsty, did you give me something to drink?

And you might ask God when you saw Him hungry or when you saw Him thirsty. And He’ll say, ‘You know. That guy, that woman, that was Me.’ And that’s why God wants us to reach out and support each other in love. Because when you do that for them, you do that for Him.

See, unless you love your friends (and your enemies!) in times of crisis, you have nothing. Love is patient and kind, love doesn’t envy or boast, it is not arrogant or rude. But it does give, it does reach out, it does support.”

Listen to the full conversation below:

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