Community

Community is so important. It's been an important part of my life the last couple of years. The last few months has strained my connection to community and I can feel and see the consequences in my life. The last few months I have found myself isolating more and more. I have gone to church less frequently, my small group has taken a break, I have communicated with close friends less and less. Through it all I find my connection to The Lord less constant and that I have moments of clarity and then moments of confusion.

I share this not to point out what is happening in my life, but to highlight the importance of community in our life. Our community provides more than we know. It gives us a level of support and encouragement. It puts us around other like minded people. It provides for us a place where we learn to apply what we learn from Jesus. We learn how to truly love, forgive, show grace and give mercy. 

We are called to community. We are wired for community. Jesus uses community for his sanctifying work in our lives. It's through community that we grow closer to Him. 

I feel that God brought me to this dry place in community to remind me how important it is. To bring my focus back to something that has been so important to me. Something I'm called to share with others. 

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24, 25 ESV)