When
you cook outside on a grill, you’ll pile all the charcoals together to set them
on fire. You do that because it’s easier for the fire to spread when all the
charcoals are connected together. The fire flames up when all the coals are
burning as one.
But
if you take one charcoal from the pile and set it off by itself, the coal will cool
off. It’s the same charcoal. It’s the same fire. But it dies out because it is no
longer connected to the other burning coals.
That
pile of charcoals is a picture of being in fellowship with other believers. When
you gather together in small groups for Bible Study, prayer, and fellowship,
everyone gets spiritually encouraged. You catch the fire and excitement of
others. But when you withdraw from fellowship, it is like pulling that charcoal
off the fire and setting it off by itself. You lose your fire and cool off. You
get discouraged, which often leads to depression.
However, if you will take that the charcoal that has cooled off and put it back with the
other hot coals, it will catch back on fire again.
Hebrews
10:24-25 says, “And let us be
concerned about one another in order to promote love and good deeds, not
forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging
one another.” If you have pulled yourself away from Christian fellowship, put
yourself back in the pile of burning coals. You will be surprised how quickly you’ll
catch on fire again.
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