Jesus liked to hang with people. He wanted to spend time with them, to eat dinner with them and hear what they had to say.
Jesus said “if you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father” (John 14:9) and if Jesus’ life is our example, then relationships are a very important thing to God.
God not only wants us to spend time with Him, He also wants us to spend time with each other.
“Community” can seem like an overused word these days (along with its cousin, the phrase “doing life together”), but it is so, so crucially important to our emotional, mental, and spiritual health.
Don’t stop meeting together with other believers, which some people have gotten into the habit of doing. Instead, encourage each other… Hebrews 10:25
This scripture is often used as an argument for church membership, but I think it goes beyond that. It’s super easy to join a church, show up for services, sit on the back row, and sneak out without having spoken a word to anyone. This often feels like the safer choice–especially when you’re hurting–but it is so dangerous, friends.
If either should fall, one can pick up the other. But how miserable are those who fall and don’t have a companion to help them up. Ecclesiastes 4:10
Making friends can be super overwhelming and scary–especially the older we get. I’ve learned during the past year that it takes work, and it takes putting yourself out there and getting a little awkward (which I’m alarmingly good at).
Sometimes (maybe most of the time) we have to be brave and make the first move–invite people over for dinnner, ask that nice girl you met briefly at church or work if she wants to meet for lunch or go to yoga together. Do the inviting, reach out.
Finding and maintaining the community of friends who will be your people takes work. But we were created to live in community, in fellowship with one another, and there is such joy and freedom to be found there.
