A Fellowship of Brokenness

I have often wondered why we tend to portray only the positive aspects of our lives on social media and in our face-to-face encounters and conversations with others. We each have our own reasons for concealing some of the struggles we are experiencing in our families, in our marriages, and in our hearts, but perhaps celebrating the accomplishments and joyous moments of life helps us endure those which are painful. Although no family or individual is immune from challenges and heartache, we often feel alone in our struggles. My own family and loved ones have faced depression, loss, terminal illness, addiction, mental illness, divorce, and broken relationships. Some of these hardships are more "socially acceptable" and easier to talk about with others, but perhaps those struggles that have the greater stigma and risk of being judged are the ones about which we need to be even more transparent. God does not want us to be ashamed of our troubles but instead reminds us that He is there to comfort us and help us, so that we can then offer that same comfort and compassion to others. Just as we are a fellowship of brokenness, let us also be a fellowship of hope, in which we can give and receive love and support to and from one another. Let's ask God to help us overcome the shame and doubt which often shroud our struggles and ask Him to use our experiences of pain and suffering to be a source of hope, light and encouragement to those He places in our lives.