Finding Your People: Building Your Ecclesia for the Hard Times

It’s 1 a.m. again.

My house is quiet, but my mind is not. Thoughts swirl—Am I doing enough? Did I handle that conversation right? Is this really the path I’m meant to be on? There’s something about the middle of the night that magnifies every doubt and fear.

In those moments, the enemy whispers isolation. He wants me to believe I’m the only one who feels this way—that my struggle is unique and my burden is mine alone to carry. But the truth is, God never intended us to walk alone.

From the very beginning, He designed us for community. Not just casual friendships or people we wave to on Sunday mornings—but a real ecclesia. A gathering of souls who show up in the good times and the gut-wrenching ones. The kind of people who will sit in your kitchen with messy hair and no makeup while you cry into your coffee. The ones who will send the late-night text back with, “I’m praying right now. You’re not alone.”

Finding your people isn’t always easy. It takes intentionality, vulnerability, and sometimes the courage to say, “I need help.” But once you have them—once you’ve built that small circle who knows your heart—you realize how deeply God works through His people. They become His hands and feet in your life, a living reminder of His promise to never leave or forsake you.

If you don’t have that community yet, start small. Invite someone for coffee. Ask real questions. Share a piece of your story. The right people will lean in—not away. Mine started over lunch with a new friend. Over time, those small connections grow roots. And one day, when the 1 a.m. doubts creep in, you’ll know exactly who you can reach out to.

Ecclesia isn’t just about having friends—it’s about standing shoulder-to-shoulder when life feels heavy, pointing each other back to the One who holds it all. Its helping you to realize the armour of God is ever present even when you feel helpless.

And when the next sleepless night comes, you’ll remember—you are never truly alone. God’s design for community is not an accident; it’s a gift.

May we all seek and cherish the people who draw us closer to Him—and to each other. And when the night feels heavy, let the words of the old hymn Blest Be the Tie That Binds settle over your heart:

Blest be the tie that binds

our hearts in Christian love;

the fellowship of kindred minds

is like to that above.

Because even in the quiet hours, you are held—by God, and by the circle He’s placed around you.