Romans 12:15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

It is easy to rejoice. Many of us came to the Lord to get away from pain and here we are being asked to feel the pain of others. Fellowship means bonding, being part of other people’s lives and if you cannot feel for yourself what they are going thru, where is the bond?

We are not meant to go thru this life alone. Christ knows that and His call for us is a loving relationship, not just with Him but with each other. Some of us are a burden, some of us are carriers. One loves to let everyone know how much pain they are in while the others suffer silently.

Both extremes need fellowship. That means being honest about your condition and not making it more than is real. It is hard on everyone when you try and console one in pain and they only want attention and no one can lift them out of the dump. Job’s woes come to mind. Maybe his friend’s help wasn’t the best but they were there. They didn’t leave him alone.

Likewise no one can help if you suffer in silence. Fellowship means being connected and if one suffers, at least one other must feel your pain. Have you developed closeness to anyone? Is there at least one you can trust? If not, then you are not creating those bonds which the Lord urges us to make.

Fellowship is more than just singing together and listening to a sermon. You need to let people into your life and you into their lives.

Psalm 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

Ephesians 4:12-13 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: