[Scripture: Luke 24:13-24]

“Life is hard” is a sentence that Christians and non-Christians repeatedly say in their lives. No one needs to defend that statement because you already know it’s true. Why is life hard? Because we live spiritually in a broken and sinful world. However, there are thousands of reasons that our lives are hard. Among those, I will share with you three things that drag us down into the pit the most.

Common mistakes

Life will certainly turn out to be hard when you’ve failed at something that you really wanted to do or needed to do. For example, last June, I had a project where I needed to rebuild and repaint a trailer. It was time-consuming work for me to do the reframing and rebuilding. I lost 4 or 5 pounds while I worked on that. However, the hardest part was painting because I sprayed it. When I sprayed too much paint on it, the paint dripped down a lot. I was upset because I felt that I almost ruined my two-month long project. My excitement was gone and complaining took its place. Life can turn hard through just one mistake.

Broken Relationship

Some types of failures are more complex than fixing dripping paint. What about a broken relationship? A relationship gone wrong makes life very hard. How about a broken marriage? Researchers estimated that about 40%-50% of first marriages and 60%-65% of second marriages have serious relational problems. It will become more and more common in our society. According to research, half of married couples experience a broken relationship at home. That makes their lives hard!

What about the loss of a loved one? I lost my parents a year apart when I was sixteen. At that moment, I felt I lost the purpose to my life. When that happened, I made changes to my daily routines. The worst choice that I made: I stopped going to church and lost my connection with good people who had helped guide me. I left Church from age seventeen until age twenty-six. I did not attend a church worship service for almost ten years because I felt that there was no one there for me. It was the worst moment of my life spiritually.

Unexpected health issues

Cancer diagnoses, heart issues, knee and joints disorders, or other serious illnesses make us unhappy. You may feel overwhelmed with fear and worry that makes you angry and frustrated. At that moment, you feel that something is wrong with your life.

God’s solution for all problems

God always has the solution for us for those times when we say, “life is hard. God’s solution is companionship. When you feel that your life is hard, please take a deep breath and look around. Someone is always around you like an angel of God and helps you. If there is no one for you, Jesus Christ himself comes down for you to help you. That is God’s unchangeable promise to us. That I believe!

Main Story

Today’s passage tells us how companionship works out when individuals have lost their purposes and fall into despair in their lives. In this story, there were two disciples. They walked to their hometown with desperation in their hearts because of the death of Jesus.

I will remake the story into the 21st American version. There was a young man who lost his job, became bankrupt, and could not find work, so he decided to move back into his parents’ basement. Can you imagine how depressed and disappointed he was because of his failure?

In the Bible, while the two disciples were walking to their hometown, a mysterious man joined and started a conversation with them. When the disciples had fellowship with this man, their eyes were opened and they fully recovered from the despair into new hope, so they stopped and changed their destination to Jerusalem. In this time, their misery transformed into bright hope.

Being good company

Jesus built the Church as a holy community to share spiritual companionship with other people. Our Church body is called to be good companions for people. Our Church will be your companion and cry out to God for you when you have a hard time. And also, Jesus said, “I will build my Church. It is my body, and you are part of it.” That means you are called to be good companions to your wife, husband, children, parents, friends, neighbors, and also the Church.

How to be a good companion

Lisa is an excellent companion of mine. When I was discouraged and disappointed by the ugly painting job I did on the trailer, she encouraged me by saying, “It will be ok.” After that when I heard her positive and cheerful words and rechecked my paint job, it looked not as bad but acceptable. Saying positive and encouraging words is always good to encourage other people, but it is not the best way. The best way to show companionship according to the Bible is to invite Jesus Christ in between your relationships.

The best biblical meaning of Companionship is in Ecclesiastes 4 “two is better than one: if either of them falls down, one can help the other up. Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves, but A cord of three strings is not quickly broken.” This is the power of companionship in the Bible! Who is the third person here who makes it so your relationship does not break up quickly?

Thoughtful application

If you feel that you are falling into despair because of many problems, please do not trust yourself too much. Sometimes, that makes it even worse. Think about it like you are sinking in water. Do you know the best way to get out of this situation? Water rescue team experts say, do not trust your hands and legs when you are in this kind of situation. It’s the main reason why people drown. Experts suggest the best way is to stop doing anything and wait for someone to help you.

When do you feel that your life has gone wrong? Please, remember the story of Peter. He is an expert on the Christian faith. When he was walking on water and beginning to sink, immediately, he cried out for help. Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. It is a snapshot of what Christians should do when they are falling into despair.

When you realize that you are in trouble of any kind, ask for God’s help and follow God’s directions from the Bible. If you have relational problems, Invite Jesus into your relationship with that person, even in your family relationships. If Jesus Christ is in your relationship, it is not quickly broken. It is the essence of spiritual companionship in the Bible.

Our Church will be your companion and will walk with you in the time of your hardships in the name of Jesus. Please, be a part and walk with people who need our companionship in Jesus.

2021.07.11. Pastor Cloud Poy

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