A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:12)
One of the best antidotes to discouragement while going through transition is to have others stand with you at your side. That also will help to maintain spiritual vitality in your life.
When you feel alone it is easy to get discouraged. And discouragement is often the first step toward defeat. Just having someone stand at your side is often all that’s necessary to keep on going.
They can also provide insight to some things you might not see on your own. A new perspective from someone else often clears the air and your vision, and this often opens new options that might work better. Someone else might also provide a corrective voice. It might not just be a better way of doing something. It might be a right way over against a wrong way.
There is also the matter of accountability. Teamwork provides this naturally. The closer you are as team members the more you will want to work together harmoniously, and this will create a synergism that can be found no other way. Solomon put it this way in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work…a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
In Romans 15 Paul encourages teamwork in a general way. In Romans 16 he points out individuals and the part they played in his life and team in carrying out the work of God. The list includes young and old, men and women and couples. Some of them provided for the material needs of the apostle. Others were involved in the spiritual ministry. Paul saw all as important to the work of the church.
Who do you have standing with you? Are they reliable?
