Holly Furtick urges listeners to combine prayer with practical outreach and genuine community connection rather than relying on superficial social-media interactions. Using the biblical story of Elisha (the widow asked to gather many empty jars) she illustrates how asking neighbors for help—going door-to-door and sharing a simple request—differs from merely posting online for affirmation. She contrasts "comments" with real "conversation," gives a personal anecdote about supporting longtime friends caring for a parent with ALS, and emphasizes face-to-face presence, concrete help (meals, check-ins, errands), and the restoration of community after pandemic isolation.
Chapters
You are always a part of your solution. What do you have in your house? Elisha said, go around and ask all of your neighbors for empty jars. Don't just ask for a few. Okay, so she cried out to God then. Then she reached out to others. Some of us are really great at reaching out, but we forget to cry out to God first. Others of us cry out to God all day long, but reach out, none of your business. Now, I want to qualify what reaching out actually means, because we live in a very strange world, and social media has gotten us a little mixed up. Don't hear me say the wrong thing, okay? You can put your prayer updates on your page, but the real people who love you, who pray for you and support you, and ask you how your appointment went, those are the people that are with you on your journey, and they are a part of your healing. People will comment on your post, but comments do not replace conversation. I don't believe that this woman went out into the streets of her neighborhood and shouted, I need jars. Give me all your jars. How do you think she got those jars? She went around and she knocked on each door. Maybe she made up a speech and said the same thing to every single person. That's okay. Hi, guys. I know this seems kind of odd. You know, my husband died, and you might imagine I'm having a hard time. Anyway, the prophet Elijah, Elisha, ask me to go around and ask for any extra jars that you might have. I know that seems weird, but do you have any lying around that you don't want? Reaching out means sharing something, even if you say the exact same thing to everyone who asks. Reaching out does not mean sharing everything. When you cry out, you say everything. She told the prophet everything, down to the fact that she had the only thing of value that she had in the whole world was a little bit of jar, a little bit of oil in a jar. But she went around to her neighbors, she reached out, and she asked for some jars. I think one of the things that the enemy has tried to steal from us during this last year is community. One year ago, we went inside our houses, we shut the doors, and the only thing that we had to connect with people were glass screens. But you cannot stay there. If you stay on screens, you're just shouting for jars. Affirm me, compliment me, agree with me. That's not reaching out. Earlier this week, I ran into a really, really good friend of mine that I hadn't seen since Christmas. And we've been friends for 15 years. And I knew through Instagram that they were going through a really tough season. This couple has three biological children and two foster children. And I knew that recently the husband's mom had been diagnosed with als. And I knew that they were helping care for the moment. So this past weekend we run into each other at our kids sporting events and we hugged and I looked her in the eyes and I said, how's it going? And she looked at me and she said, well, mom has moved in with us. She needs round the clock care. And honestly, this is the hardest thing that I have ever gone through. But we're good. And you know, I didn't offer any words of wisdom. I just listened to her. I told her that she was one of the strongest people I know. And now I know how to pray for them. And now I know I need to check on them, bring them dinner, send them doordash, whatever floats your boat. We need face to face interaction with others. There is no substitute for that. And you might not need it now, but have you ever thought that maybe somebody else might need it from you right now? And also there will come a time in your life, because into every life the rain falls at some point and you're going to need to lean on the support of others. They don't need to know everything. But if they don't know anything, how can they offer support? And then you're just gonna feel alone. Do not let the enemy tell you that you're alone. You're not alone. That's a lie. What do you have? A little bit of oil and some neighbors. Hey, thanks for watching. I hope that that encouraged you today. Make sure that you subscribe so that you don't miss out on other videos like this. And I'll see you back here next time.
