Monday, February 28, 2011

devotional thought: doing life together

something i have been reading, writing, and thinking about recently is the concept of doing life together. there are many facets to this topic, but i think there is much to be said for coming into someone's presence, sharing their burdens and joys, challenging and encouraging them, and seeing both their mess and their glory.

we are relational people. even me...the hibernating hermit introvert...i am a relational person.

which means we are supposed to be in one another's lives. we are supposed to share and invest. even (and especially?) when it is hard. when we feel weakest. when our shame is weighing us down. when we feel worthless.

the point of community-of being relational-is that we are a body that works together for the purpose of loving God and loving people. we are gifted in different ways so that where one is weak, another is strong. and the point isn't to rub that in someone else's face--it's to teach us our need for support and encouragement from one another.

we don't love well because we don't trust. if we truly did life together, we would be transparent. we would trust each other enough to show our scars. we would entrust our past sins, our present struggles, and our future worries to one another. our vulnerable faith in each other would cause an overflow of love.

'such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. if we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. we love each other because he loved us first.' 1 john 5:18-19

what is keeping you from trusting?

4 comments:

  1. I think the big problem is pride. Even though God wants us to humble ourselves...as humans it is very difficult to do. But He has ways to humble us even when it is against our wishes. He knows what's best for us and I find that very comforting in times when I am being humbled.

    I also find it very interesting that this post has only gotten 1 comment, but the girl scout cookie one is a very different story. It really backs up the point of this post of yours. People are afraid to talk about their weaknesses.

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  2. I think the problem is the security that we find in pride. We are more secure in our own strength and merit than we are in our brokenness. Trusting others and trusting God means that we must break down our walls and show the depths of our spirit. We must be comfortable in our brokenness in order to be vulnerable before others. Community is a gift. I have learned more about the love of God by being surrounded in Christian Community than I when I was doing life on my own. I must remember the gift of community instead of the pain of vulnerability. This is what will enable me to leave the "security" of pride and entering into trusting relationships with God and others.

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  3. great comments, ladies!

    amy, i especially love that you were bold--and humble--enough to put yourself out there first. it's a scary place to be, and trust is a hard topic to talk about.

    but i really desire that this blog be a jumping off point for people...that real heart stuff gets discussed.

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  4. I didn't read it until this evening. But John is right, I say Fear. We trust, we get smacked down, we're afraid to Trust again. Why would you want to jump back into that lion's den? You know how things have been bumpy with my Mom, even if she wanted me in her life at this point, I know what God wants me to do, be open, turn the other cheek, invite her in, etc etc. I keep trying, but there is a dark place that is glad, almost relieved when she says no or blows me off. I don't know if I would, or could, ever Trust her again. And do I even want to? Honestly, I don't know.

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