Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. – James 5:16
Today’s Reading: Ezekiel 20-21; James 5
For the longest time I was determined that the best way to find God was to find Him by myself.
I looked at other “Christians” and watched how they behaved. I watched how they treated their fellow man; how they didn’t seem to even try to love their neighbors as themselves. I thought to myself, what can I learn from them? How can sitting in a room with a bunch of people, listening to some flawed man talk about the same old scriptures actually be beneficial to me?
I looked at other “Christians” and watched how they behaved. I watched how they treated their fellow man; how they didn’t seem to even try to love their neighbors as themselves. I thought to myself, what can I learn from them? How can sitting in a room with a bunch of people, listening to some flawed man talk about the same old scriptures actually be beneficial to me?
So I rejected the whole notion of going to church and decided to find God on my own. I went through all kinds of desolate valleys and wastelands of confusion. I was a lone ranger in faith.
My heart was in the right place. I knew what I was looking for and that it was a good thing, but I remained lost. It wasn’t until I decided to step outside of my own head and take that spiritual journey with someone else that I was able to find God, and therefore find myself.
We read the Bible together and in so doing we helped each other grow. I had someone to ask questions, to seek advice from, and most importantly, to ask for help. He helped me to see that I may learn some things about God by myself, but that solitary path would never reap the same kind of benefits that I would have if I opened myself up to learn from other people.
The amazing thing about being a part of a faith community is that we can draw from the strengths of others. They can show us our weaknesses and help us work through them. Different people come with new perspectives and through their points of view God can teach us things that we refuse to see on our own.
This is why the church makes sense to me. The church isn’t about a fancy building and rules. The church is each and every one of us. We are all connected to God. The more that we allow ourselves to be connected with other people who know God the better we will know Him.
Hello Man of God, I really enjoyed your post. This concept is a "key" to successful living. We were created by God to need one another, and not be an island.
ReplyDeleteI honestly believe our happiness is wrapped up inside of one another. Giving to one another is usually where we receive our biggest joys. The fun part is unwrapping the gift we find in each other.
More often than not, we will find our answers by taking time to adventure and discover all the hidden treasures God has provided within us.
Much Love
I like the idea "we are all church." We aren't all the same church. That's good. Sometimes though it isn't.
ReplyDeletePeople can be "spiritual" vs. religious. It doesn't though make them a person attempting to live a God like life. In some cases, they are far from doing so, according to the law of the bible. But can with great energy share the importance of knowing a higher power, leading a good life, and allowing people to be people.
I think it is just as important to check out a person's individual "church" as it is the brick and mortar type. Just cuz someone got some "church" doesn't mean what they're sharing is anything worth adding to your repertoire. Worth listening too, of course. Worth applying, careful consideration would determine that.
@Nicole Yep! This especially resonated with me "Giving to one another is usually where we receive our biggest joys. The fun part is unwrapping the gift we find in each other."
ReplyDeleteSo true.
@Alegria That whole spiritual vs religious thing is an important distinction. It's really interesting how there are folks who strictly play by the rules but really aren't connected to God (modern day Pharisees if you will..) and spiritual folks that the religious would judge for their unorthodox ways who are probably more righteous than us all.
But I also agree with you that the opposite applies. There is so much benefit in the structure, teaching and guidance that many brick and mortar churches provide. I learned the hard way that doing it by myself was limited by my frame of mind... we need others to help us grow, especially others who are more mature than us in the spirit.
"The Church" is a good place to find them (provided that we are talking about the right kind of church ;).