Healing Happens in Community - Rick Warren Daily Devotional (February 14, 2025). “So then, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you will be healed.” James 5:16 (GNT)
You can’t overcome your fears and failures on your own. God designed you to need other people. That’s why you need to be honest—not just with God, but with other people—about your temptations, defects, fears, and hurts.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” (NIV) We’re wired to need each other. You were never meant to face life’s problems alone.
In the New Testament, “one another” appears 58 times. We’re told to love one another, help one another, pray for one another, and encourage one another. That’s what churches and small groups are for. We’re not just believers; we’re belongers. We only find real healing in community because God wired us to need each other.
Your community of believers can carry you through anything—even a crisis of faith. Job 6:14 says, “In trouble like this I need loyal friends—whether I’ve forsaken God or not” (GNT). When you struggle to believe, real friends say, “We’ll believe for you. We’ll carry you through this.” That’s the kind of friendship God wants for you.
So how do you find healing in your small group or church? James 5:16 has the answer: “So then, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you will be healed” (GNT). Healing comes from sharing. Revealing your feelings is the beginning of healing.
This step is hard because of pride. You might think, “I’ll tell God, but not anyone else.” But here’s the truth: If you only want forgiveness, just tell God; but if you want healing, tell someone else. When you’re open with other people about your struggles, it humbles you. And that’s a good thing, because God gives grace to the humble.
If you want to see real change, you need to get honest—with yourself and with trusted believers around you. Healing happens in community.
Talk It Over
- Why is it important to admit your struggles to both God and someone that you trust?
- Why does Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 emphasize the importance of having someone to help you when you fall? How does this relate to your need for community?
- How can you become a loyal friend, like the one described in Job 6:14, to support others through their struggles, even when their faith falters?
