The Restorative Power of Community

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 – “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!”

We live in a world that prizes independence but suffers from isolation. We convince ourselves that we don’t need anyone, that self-sufficiency is strength. Over the past 25 years I’ve listened to hundreds of people tell me, “I believe in God, but I don’t like church.” It’s a warning flag. Do church people sometimes let you down? Sure. Are churches full of people two-faced people? Sure. Will you be let down by Christians if you’re in community with them? Most definitely.

Despite all this, God never designed us to walk alone. From the very beginning, He declared that it is “not good” for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18). We are made for relationship—not just with Him, but with others. When we embrace true community, we find healing, accountability, and a greater sense of purpose.

But community isn’t just about having people around us. It’s about having the right people around us. Not all friendships lead to flourishing. Some drain, distract, or lead us away from what matters most. That’s why wisdom in choosing and cultivating relationships is key.

God uses people to encourage, refine, and restore us. But when we isolate ourselves—whether out of hurt, pride, or busyness—we cut off one of God’s greatest gifts: the power of relationships that lift us when we fall.

The Trinity: The Ultimate Community
We are made in the image of God, and God is not a solitary being. He is a community—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—one God, eternally existing in perfect love and relationship.

Jonathan Edwards described the Trinity as a communion of love. The Father loves the Son, the Son loves the Father, and the Spirit is the love between them, eternally proceeding from both. God’s very nature is relational.

If we are made in THIS image, then relationship is not optional—it’s in the hard wiring. To isolate ourselves is to reject part of what it means to be human. True joy comes when we reflect the triune (3-in-1) nature of God by living in deep, meaningful community with others.

This is why Jesus didn’t just call individual followers—He called a community. The early church didn’t function as scattered believers but as a interwoven body, a family, a people united in Christ.

Moses and Aaron & Hur
Moses knew the weight of leadership, but he also knew he couldn’t carry it alone. In Exodus 17, when Israel fought against Amalek, Moses stood on the hilltop with his staff raised. As long as his hands were lifted, Israel prevailed. But when he grew tired, his arms dropped, and the enemy advanced.

Then something remarkable happened:
“But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.” (Exodus 17:12)

Moses needed support, and Aaron and Hur stood beside him, lifting his hands when he couldn’t lift them on his own.

This is what real community looks like—people who stand with you, hold you up in your weakness, and fight battles alongside you.

Reflection:
1. Are you trying to carry something alone that God never intended for you to bear?
2. Who are the “Aaron and Hur” in your life—the ones who lift you when you’re weary?
3. Are you surrounding yourself with people who bring you closer to God or further from Him?

Do Something:
Take inventory of your relationships today.
• Reach out to someone who encourages your faith and thank them.
• Assess if there’s a relationship you need to cultivate or one you need to step back from.
• Be an Aaron or Hur for someone else—offer support, prayer, or encouragement to someone who needs it.

You were never meant to do this alone. Let others lift your hands when you grow weary.