grow |grəʊ| verb 1 (of a living thing) undergo natural development by increasing in size and changing physically: She would water her flowers each day so they would grow.
I had such a wonderful time with my girls this week at our monthly Equipped by Faith gathering. Each time we meet, I am reminded more and more of the importance of our relationships with other believers. There are so many people who allow themselves to be wounded by the church or others and decide to isolate themselves, believing they only need the Word of God and prayer to be “good” in life. Nothing could be farther from the truth!
I believe in strong relationships. I believe in Sisterhood and the power of unity. I also believe that our relationships are the first place the enemy attacks us to create division and strife in the body of Christ.
“For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” Matthew 18:20
“A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back to back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:12
Graham Cooke once quoted, “Relationship is God’s responsibility–and He secured that with the cross. But now, fellowship is your responsibility.”
I love that quote because it reminds me that the work for salvation is already complete and the bridge to Christ has already been built for us. It is now our job to keep that bridge in good working condition by cultivating a relationship with God and with others.
In order for us to grow in our relationship with Christ, we have to grow in our relationships with other people. True spiritual maturity is all about learning to love like Jesus loves, and there is no way we can practice being like Jesus without being in healthy relationship with other people.
Jesus said that the world would know Him because of OUR love toward one another! How well are we loving people? How well are we loving our spouse? Our friends? Our family members? Yes, even the difficult ones!
“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:3
Our relationships are a direct representation to the world of Christ’s character. If we love one another well and live in complete unity with our brothers and sisters–how attractive will that be to those around us? This is what the church is meant to be as salt and light to a dark world!
“Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your LOVE. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father who is over all and in all and living through all.” Ephesians 4:1-6
I know we have all been hurt in past relationships, and that alone can cause us to build walls around our hearts to shield us from future hurt and pain. Being cautious in our relationships is not all bad, but can I remind you of a few things if you happen to be struggling with opening up to trusting other believers?
- Trusting oftentimes begins with forgiveness. Jesus kindly informed Peter in Matthew Chapter 18:21-35 that we are called to forgive ALL people not 7 times, but seventy times seven! Meaning, every time–all the time. The forgiveness and mercy we are so graciously given by our Heavenly Father is the exact forgiveness and mercy we are called to give to others! If you are building a wall because of an offence you are holding against another person, you are only hurting yourself by holding onto it. Do yourself a favor, forgive them and let it go!
- We are all human. You, me, and the lady who cut you off on the highway today. Humans fail and fall. We always will. That’s the beauty of being in need of a Savior. Don’t isolate yourself out of the fear that you will be hurt by people. You will! Loving deeply will always result in a greater chance of getting hurt more deeply. Vulnerability opens you up for the opportunity to be wounded. But do you know what else it does? It opens up a world of complete freedom, genuine love and lasting relationships with flawed humans like yourself. And that is a beautiful place to live.
“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” James 5:16
I want to encourage you today, to let down your guard with one or two people in your life that you trust the most. Allow them into the deepest places of your heart, and decide to grow in openness with one another. This is where true community and relationships are built. Being honest with one another about the joys and struggles of everyday life is exactly how we grow in Christ–together.
One of my favorite things about our monthly Equipped by Faith gatherings is that real women can get together to talk about real life issues without having to worry about being judged or condemned. We cry together, we laugh together, and we pray together about the good, the bad and the uncertain.
There is such strength and beauty in real relationships! There is power in unity! There is blessing in Sisterhood!
Find your true community, and grow together today!
XO-
Sabrina