You were never meant to be alone

​So you know that little verse in Genesis where God says it is “not good”  for Adam to be alone? I happen to think He says the same thing about us today. Surprisingly, this article is not about marriage. It’s also not about why God decided to create women. I’m just putting it out there in case you’d like to stop reading now.

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This article is about surrounding yourself with a Godly community. God designed us to function within family and church. He never meant for us to be alone.

​Over the last few years God has showed me the value of surrounding myself with Godly people who encourage, uplift and support me. In the last week or so I’ve been reminded of the importance of having such a community. Here are three valuable things I’ve learnt:

1. We're not perfect
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Let’s be honest and admit it right from the start: The church consists of people and people aren’t perfect. Simply paging through the New Testament will make this clear to you. The church was never meant to be a place of perfection, but a place of growth.

​I’ve seen so many people walk away from church because they’ve experienced judgment, manipulation, abuse or rejection. I’ll be honest with you and say that these are things I’ve experienced too. I’m not justifying it; these things are wrong and have no place amongst believers. But walking away is not the solution. 

"The church was never meant to be a place of perfection, but a place of growth."

​Life is messy; whether you’re part of a church community or not. Relationships are never easy; even among Christians.  For this reason church is the ideal place to learn to forgive. People take offence and sins are exposed; ultimately leaving us with even more opportunities to grow. 

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another...”  – Hebrews 10:24-25

2. We’re better together

​In 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 Paul teaches about believers being the body of Christ and how unity should exist within this body. Just like our body parts work together and depend on one another for certain functions, believers ought to work together and utilize each other’s gifts for a greater purpose. 

​In the same way businesses hire people in teams to combine different strengths and divide the work load, God designed His church. Your gifting is necessary and important in drawing people to Christ, but your gifting was never meant to function on its own.

"Your gifting is necessary and important in drawing people to Christ, but your gifting was never meant to function on its own."

​Let me remind you of this passage in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10:

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”

​God said it was “not good” for Adam to be alone and decided to make him a “helper” (Genesis 2:18). He designed us to function within family and community because He knows it makes us stronger.   

3. We love one another
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​Remember my previous article “The three most important relationships in your life”? Jesus commanded us to love God; to love ourselves and equally important; to love others (Matthew 22:36-40). Elsewhere He describes our love for one another as the distinguishing factor in the world (John 13:35). Loving one another is the very reason we’re supposed to function in community. 

• We love one another by caring for each other and carrying other’s burdens (Galatians 6:2).
• We love one another by serving (1 Peter 4:9).
• We love one another through forgiveness (Ephesians 4:32).
• We love one another through encouragement (1 Thessalonians 5:11).​
• We love one another through correction (Galatians 6:1).

​Love takes on different forms and might not always be perceived as such. We love each other when we encourage one another in our walks with Christ. Love inspires growth.

"Love inspires growth."

The church is still God’s idea
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I read once that the church is God’s plan for the salvation of the world. Jesus could’ve stayed on earth spreading His own Gospel. But He didn’t. He decided to send His imperfect disciples instead (Matt 28:18-20).

​Even in the early church we see believers often faced problems among each other. I’m not saying this to excuse the faults within church. I’m saying this to help you see that God can use the church, in spite of her faults. 

"God can use the church, in spite of her faults." 

​​God wants to use church to help you grow; and at the same time He wants to use you to help grow the church.

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