It’s not good for people to be alone. God said so (Genesis 2:18). We were created to exist with one another in community.
Aloneness is a major cause of anxiety. Through social media, people hide behind a screen from human engagement. Face-to-face, eye-to-eye, and touch-to-touch encounters happen less frequently. The less true interaction we have, the more anxiety will increase.
That’s why we must have good teammates to walk with us in life. We need people who will come alongside us to build our faith and give us words of encouragement – especially when we don’t think we can take another step. We need friends who fill our minds with hopeful messages when worries come our way.
My college basketball coach said, “If you want to play an individual sport, play tennis. Basketball is a team sport. You can’t succeed unless you play together. You need one another to win." We need one another to win in life as well.
We need good teammates to walk alongside us and speak words of life that help ward off anxiety. Life and death begin with the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). Negative words can sear your soul for a lifetime. Positive words can ignite faith and give you confidence to defeat giants.
When you are walking along a dark path and you’re not sure of your next step, you want to have someone next to you pointing out potential hazards. When a friend watches out for you, life is easier.
The book of Proverbs is filled with admonishments about the importance of positive friendships:
Proverbs 13:20: “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”
Proverbs 18:24: “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
Proverbs 19:20: “Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.”
Who is speaking words of faith into your life? Do you have teammates who encourage you? Or are your friends forever tearing you down and causing more worry in your mind?
During the coming weeks, make phone calls. Zoom calls. Or safely social distance with friends whose positive words ignite your faith. Surround yourself with friends who speak life. Who encourage your heart.
Spend time with your teammates. Your anxiety will flee.