God has been showing me a lot about community lately. About seven years ago I was blessed with an opportunity to work at a summer camp called Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters. It was there that I first got a glimpse into what biblical community was. It created in me a longing for authentic biblical community. The desire for community has been growing inside of me for a long time.
Four years ago my husband and I began to go to church at Vintage242. Its been here that we began to see authentic biblical community at play in front of our eyes. Even though we have been a part of this community for four years, it hasn't been until the last year or two that I have become engaged into this community. It has taken me that long because I couldn't understand that community wasn't something that just fell into your lap to better serve you, but was a relationship that had to be sought out. It wasn't until I learned that community really and truly was something that you yourself have to seek out and put forth effort into developing, that I began to see true community in my life. Community is about a relationship, but just like any other relationship, it has to be built and worked on. Its not something that will just fall into your lap with no effort on your part. As Americans, we can often have a mindset that things will just come to us because we are privileged for it to do so. Church isn't created to just serve you. Its created to reach the world and for you to learn and grow in Christ's love through community and through learning to develop healthy relationships with those around you that are deeper than a worldly level, relationships that bring about accountability and love.
Being an introvert, I understand the struggle with having to meet people and reach out to gain community; however, I had to realize that I couldn't pass it all off on me just being introverted. I wasn't engaging in community because I wanted to remain walled up and hidden from what community would truly bring to my life, accountability and responsibility. I was close-minded to see who God was calling me into community with. Lets be honest with ourselves, we're not so far from that high school girl that wants to be in with the "in-crowd", but we have to learn in the church to open our eyes to see who God is calling us to be in community with. Its important for us to learn and understand the levels of community within our lives and the different types of relationships that God desires to build. Just as Christ had his closest friends, a circle of 12 dear friends, and then a larger circle of people who followed and listen to him, we too have to realize that community for us will involve different levels of relationships. Again, once I was able to break through this barrier, I began to have my eyes open to see who God had already placed in my life for me to be in community with. Something my husband has been saying to me for over 3 years when I would tell him I had no community was, "Yes you do. Its right there. You just need to seek it out." How right he has been! Community was right under my nose for over two years before I had my eyes opened to see it!
Living with regret is pointless, so all I can say is I'm thankful for God's grace in opening my eyes when He did. I'm thankful to be developing real accountability in those relationships and in my life, as well as honored to be developing loving relationships with those who have "life experiences" and can wisely speak into me. God is stretching me and growing me in this still. Community is relationship, and relationship is work...hard work that can be humbling and unwanted at times, but so rewarding in the end.
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