community

Lately I think I have been learning a lot about community. This week, as I talked with a couple of friends, I was reminded of how much we really need it and its importance.  Many times I think I feel as if I have to do life on my own, solve my own problems, face my battles alone, even be motivated alone. But then I fail, get discouraged, and sometimes feel miserable, not wanting others to see all of this. I don't think its that I don't want others to be a part of my life. But I think many times we want to try and be strong on our own and think it will cause us to grow. I don't even think we realize how much we really do this. We may even take it all to Christ and ask Him to help or be our strength(which is most important), but we don't think about the fact that He has placed others in our lives to walk through life together.

But we were made for community.  God calls us to bear one another's burdens(Gal. 6:2). To encourage each other daily(Heb. 3:13)

This doesn't mean we look to them first for all our needs. First we take them to Christ and know that He is all we need. But He has also placed people in our lives for a purpose.

We don't have to do life alone. We were made for relationships and for community.  I think when we recognize this and live in it, we can truly glorify God through our relationships with other and with our lives. As we focus on the needs of those around us, our problems don't feel so hard, so bad.

Encourage someone today. Ask how they are doing. Ask what God is teaching them. Be a community with those God has placed in your life.

"But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called 'Today,' so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin."
                     - Hebrews 3:13

"...that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."
                     - Colossians 2:2-3