Doing Life TogetherSample

Our Temptation In life we tend to gravitate towards being independent and autonomous. For some people, this is on purpose, and for others it is subconscious. Independence is enticing because it brings the feeling of strength and control. Autonomy provides the ability to hide faults and the protection from getting hurt. The ironic thing about this is that we also fear being alone. We feel for the people eating alone, dying alone, or just going to the movies alone. We often choose independence and autonomy because it’s safe, but, all the while, we are longing for true, healthy community. This longing is portrayed in the most popular T.V. shows, such as Gilligan’s Island, Friends, Seinfeld, and The Office. These shows live out what we crave deep in our souls: friends to laugh with, fight with, and be real with. This longing is so strong because God created us to be like Him and reflect Him. He is a God of community and lives it out in every aspect of His being. He shows this by the way He has always ruled with Jesus and the Holy Spirit by His side. God has never been alone. Never. Jesus, who did life with His 12 disciples, also shows it. To be like Him is to live within a community of God-centered friends. There is no way around it; He created us to do life with others. A lot of us have the temptation to isolate ourselves because it’s easier, but God didn’t create us to be independent or autonomous. You long for community because God created you to live in it. I pray that God will begin to help you see past the ease of autonomy and independence and open your heart up to the possibility of living in a God-centered community.