“In a group all by myself.” That’s what she said.
She went to a women’s conference, sat in a huge arena . . . and felt lonely. How does that happen?
It happens all the time. Talking to ladies, especially those associated with the military, they have gotten good at this very thing. Learn to interact, chat with folks, and get involved in stuff, they still never actually connect with anybody.
It’s really not so hard to do. Introvert or extrovert, we get caught up in the doing, the expectation of involvement, and never really open our hearts and lives to those around us.
Reasons for this vary from busy-ness to fear, but the bottom line is that God made us for community.
I just had a conversation with my kids today about this very thing. Lately, they have gotten frustrated with each other more frequently. The words of “he’s annoying” or “she’s not being nice” have entered our vocabulary much too often.
In our family, life has been a bit crazy lately, which explains the added frustration and the more frequent happening of tears, but I will not give in. I refuse to cower to the expectation of grief, fear and uncertainty when God’s plan is so much better.
Sitting on the floor of the living room today, I looked in the faces of my children and told them, “If God had wanted you to tackle the world alone, He would not have made you part of our family.” It is no accident He gave me these children, no accident He gave me my spouse, and no accident He planted me here in Kansas.
God made us for community.
He made us to join together, seeking after Him with our whole heart, and reaching a world (our world) for Christ. He didn’t choose one disciple and send him on his way. He gave them each other, but He also gave himself.
Building community is important, but it comes second to building relationship with our Savior.
Regardless of where we are, what we are walking through, or how our heart feels, we are never alone. Never ever. God said so:
“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:8).
Moses is handing over the mantle of leadership to Joshua here in Deuteronomy. I cannot imagine the weight of such an assignment. Assuring Joshua of God’s presence, Moses told him not to give way to fear and discouragement.
We face intimidating tasks as well, mountains standing in front of us we are not so sure we can conquer, but the words of Moses still ring true today. The Lord himself goes before us, will never leave us and will never forsake us. Our job is to remain in pursuit of Him.
Face this mountain called “today” and simply do what He has asked of you this day, taking the time to continuously develop a relationship with Him. He is our strength. He is our vision. He is our hope.
He is.
Today I’ll close with a song that has played in my heart frequently lately.
He has given us community, those in life we can walk with through many things, but He has also given us himself. A gift we could never replicate. Take hold of both.
What mountain are you facing? Do you feel alone? How do you connect with others? How do you connect with God?
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