When a friend or family member is in a crisis, we need to be there for them. Being there for people is what the kingdom of God is all about. We’re told to ‘carry each other’s burdens’. But ‘being there’ may look different depending on the person or the situation. Sometimes, we just need to be someone who listens and give people a safe space to express their emotions. Maybe we commit to praying for them in our own prayer time with God. Or meet up with them regularly to pray with them. Other times we offer practical help and advice to help them cope and grow through the situation they’re facing. But it’s not always easy. Sometimes people are hurting so much that they push us away, or don’t ask for help in the first place. We have to be perceptive to what people are going through, and what the best way to be there for them is. When they reach a stage of being open to advice, we can suggest a different way of looking at things. When we focus on our problems, we forget everything we’ve been blessed with and our problems seem huge. A change of perspective can help reduce people’s anxiety and the size of the problem in their minds. We can encourage them to concentrate on the present and ‘live one day at a time’ (Matthew 6:34 TLB). We can also encourage them to look to God in their situation. We can help them to focus on God and remind them of His faithfulness in the past. We can remind them that the Bible says: ‘The Lord is faithful and will give you strength and will protect you from the Evil One’ (2 Thessalonians 3:3 NCV).

What Now?

Send 2 Thessalonians 3:3 to someone you know who’s struggling today. And if you’re in a tough situation, write it out and put it next to your bed. Every morning and evening, read it and remind yourself that God’s there for you.