In my last assignment, I was stationed on a Navy ship where I sometimes was so busy that all I did was work, work out (sometimes), eat, and sleep. I tried to set aside time to pray and read my Bible, but would become so busy that I had difficulty focusing on God at all, let alone have any time to
fellowship with other believers.
Many of us fall into this trap and convince ourselves that we can survive spiritually without making time for God and other believers; or we think that the concerns of our job and circumstances are so important that they must take precedence over setting time aside for God. We hope we can make it alone as Christians because sometimes we feel that we just have to. Another very sad reality is that many of us end up "going it alone" even when we don't feel we have to. Even if we are around other Christians, we often keep our "stuff" to ourselves and don't have any truly close relationships with other believers. If we don't have a couple close men (or women for you ladies) in our lives who will call us out on our sin and encourage us in our walk with Christ, than we are not where God wants us to be.
fellowship with other believers.
Many of us fall into this trap and convince ourselves that we can survive spiritually without making time for God and other believers; or we think that the concerns of our job and circumstances are so important that they must take precedence over setting time aside for God. We hope we can make it alone as Christians because sometimes we feel that we just have to. Another very sad reality is that many of us end up "going it alone" even when we don't feel we have to. Even if we are around other Christians, we often keep our "stuff" to ourselves and don't have any truly close relationships with other believers. If we don't have a couple close men (or women for you ladies) in our lives who will call us out on our sin and encourage us in our walk with Christ, than we are not where God wants us to be.
We are supposed to be part of the body of Christ (see Romans 12:4-5 below). Can you imagine a hand walking around without being attached to an arm? Living the Christian life alone is just as absurd. Hebrews 3:13 tells us to encourage one another daily so that we would not be hardened by sin. This theme is repetitive in scripture because God knows that we need community and that it is vital to the health of our faith. In a day and age where social media defines relationships, it is vital that we go against culture and seek more real life connections. We must take this seriously; we must prioritize opportunities for being part of the body of Christ, even if we don't have time for it, even if it's uncomfortable, even if it is painful, even when it is awkward and even when it is unwelcome.
If you aren't part of a close community or group of believers, YOU MUST seek one out. Pray that God would lead you to it; take a step of faith-start going to church and join a small group or Bible study; call a Christian friend and take a step toward having a deeper friendship. You might have to take a the first steps or change some habits but it will be worth it. If you do this, your walk with Christ will grow quicker, your faith will grow stronger, your focus will improve, your priorities will be more in order, life will make more sense, and you will find more purpose and fulfillment.
How much more meaningful would our lives be if we were more effectively attached to the rest of the body? What would it be like for you to have two or three other people in your life that you are real with, that no your stuff, who will call you on your sin and encourage you in your walk with the Lord?
For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. Romans 12:4-5
No comments:
Post a Comment