Better Together and Awful Alone

Have you ever been in a situation where you were in a bad spot and you were alone? How would it have been different if someone else was with you? As we continue our series studying the book of Ecclesiastes, JP teaches us the importance of doing life with other people and not being alone.

KEY TAKEAWAYS -You were not designed or created to be alone. -Life is better together and awful alone. -It’s better to be alone in a cemetery than alone and alive. -What keeps you isolated? -Envy and comparing yourself to others will keep you isolated. -When we assess how we are doing in life, we are almost always comparing and measuring ourselves against someone else. Your contentment is based on being better or having more than them. -The essence of laziness is selfishness. -The most self-absorbed person is the farthest from God. -The person who is most isolated is closest to Satan…they are the easiest to pick off and defeat. -Greed will keep you in isolation. -Many people have provided for their family at the expense of their family. -Ty Cobb is arguably one of the greatest, if not the greatest baseball player of all time. On his deathbed, he said he wished he had more friends. Only 3 friends showed up to his funeral. Ty Cobb won at baseball but he lost at life. -The truth is, if you want something bad enough and have enough drive you can probably get it, but make no mistake…it will cost you. Make sure you are pursuing the right things. -What are the benefits of friends? -You can do more and be more productive with others. -The law of synergy shows that when two are together they can accomplish a multiplier of what each could accomplish alone. -To receive (or give) care in life implies that someone else is there. -Idiosyncrasies grow in isolation. -Comfort and strength are both benefits of friendship. -The vast majority of pastoral care emails and messages are from people who are not in community or doing life with close friends and family. They are usually alone. -If you want to go fast go alone. If you want to go far go together. -Some people grow so smart they are not teachable. Don’t be one of them! -The loneliest place is leadership. -Leaders and politicians are miserable saviors. -The loneliest place in all of history was Jesus being crucified on the cross. And yet, He did it for us. God used that moment to save us. -If you have an area of your life that you don’t want to let others into, you are inviting the devil into that area of your life. -God paid a great price to defeat Satan and save you, but while you are on earth you are in a strange middle ground and not fully home yet. If you live isolated, you will get taken out.

MENTIONED OR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES -Suggested Scripture Study: Ecclesiastes 4; Genesis 2:18; Proverbs 6:10, 24:30-34 -Sermon: God Working in Time