…so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body and we all belong to each other. – Romans 12:5 NLT
Building relationships and cultivating community is hard. Sometimes we convince ourselves that it's easier to go it alone and not reach out to anyone. But we were not created to live our lives apart. God made us for community; He made us for connection. Living in a community might be challenging, but the Bible gives us tools to help us learn to live with one another—tools that make living in a community fun and rewarding.
There have been times in my life when I've felt like no one cared about me. There have been times when I was more comfortable staying in isolation and not putting any energy or effort into my relationships.
In isolation, I found that I built a wall around myself. I got lost and became selfish. My world revolved entirely around me. I was the center of attention. Being in a community would mean lowering my wall and being vulnerable; the same wall that kept me safe from people also kept people from getting close to me.
One thing I've learned during periods of isolation in my life is that God did not create me to be alone. He wants me to be in relationships with other people.
Being in community affords us the opportunity to share our lives, our dreams, and our hopes with other people. But most importantly, it allows us to give and receive healing when we hurt. A community provides us with a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on. Inevitably, we will all suffer heartbreak. After all, risking love means risking heartbreak.
Alfred Lord Tennyson said, “Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” I truly believe this. Some people will hurt us on purpose, while many others will hurt us unintentionally. Regardless, we cannot build a wall around ourselves because we fear getting hurt.
Psalm 17:7 says, “Show me Your unfailing love in wonderful ways. By Your mighty power You rescue those who seek refuge from their enemies” (NLT). God uses a community to show us His love in the midst of our hurt and pain.
Dig Deeper:
- Next time you feel like isolating yourself from your community, what are some practical steps you can take to stay connected?
- What walls have you built that you need to ask God to bring down to heal your relationships?
