Lately I’ve noticed I tend to struggle with being independent and trying to do it all on my own. I’m not good with asking for help, reaching out, letting other’s strengths help me in my weakness. It’s bad, I know. The body of Christ is all about inter-dependence, not independence. Meaning, we are individually ourselves, while still in need of the people around us.
I think independence is very dangerous.
God is always talking to me about this because it’s not His will for any of us to live life alone. I’m not saying we all need a husband right now or anything, because waiting is good – very good – but we all need the gifts, the encouragement, and the love that people have to offer. We need people and we need God.
This is where I get stuck. I like to think I can get everything I need from God. He is enough. My one and only love. My breath, the reason I live, my strength… you get the picture. I’m always talking to Him, because He listens. It’s easy to go to God when He is always there and knowing there is forgiveness and grace when I come.
But it’s scary to let people in.
They could judge me. They could hurt me. They could feel too burdened by what I share. They could be… too human for me.
Although, in the times I have shakily crossed my comfort-zone and stretched my hand out to take the hand being offered to me, it has been such a rewarding experience. People have different ways of knowing God. They see Him in my life in a way that I am sometimes not aware of. When God-fearing people speak, they break lies, they strengthen you with truth, they challenge you to righteousness, and they show you that being human is beautiful, messy, and limiting but the God in them is the God in me and we are all in this together.
Is it just me or can you hear the theme song of High School Musical playing in your head?
God has shown me the pride I have when I choose to do things on my own rather than asking for help. That’s right, I said it, it’s prideful to be independent. The kingdom of God is not founded on pride but on community, submissiveness and love. Think of the Trinity. There is God the Father who loves His son Jesus who is submitted to His Father who is in community with the Holy Spirit and so on and so forth.
If God shows this kind of example within Himself, this kind of community, it seems to me that this is the design we are chosen to live by, if we are children of God, made in His image.
So I’d like to invite you to take my hand as we walk to Jesus. We need each other to walk to Him. I think it’s wonderful to be yourself, stand strong, be brave, and all of that but I think it’s even more beautiful when you bring yourself, your weaknesses, your doubts, you frustrations to God and to those who you trust to hear from God. It’s amazing how loved a person can feel when they are not just loved by a perfect God, but by an imperfect human who has God in them.
And then, when we get to turn around and bless that person with what we carry!
Oh princesses, it’s pure bliss to not have to carry burdens alone. Our shoulders will thank us when we have people come along side of us! Haha, I don’t know why I don’t do this more often… but hey, I’m working on it. ;)
I’m praying we would all learn to be vulnerable and let people into our story. I’m truly asking God to help us all to share in a way that would invite people to point us to Christ. We need each other. We’re a body, a church… a family.
God has been speaking to me these words and I want to share them with you:
Daughter, will you trust me to protect you when I ask you to step out in faith? I want you to be a light and not remain hidden. Will you trust me to be with you as you walk into communion with others?
Princesses, I don’t know about you but I want to say, “Yes, Lord. I trust you. I will not fear if you are with me.”
So let us not only strive to being ourselves, but being able to bring ourselves, our true selves, to God and to people. It’ll be difficult sometimes, but God will help us. He’s really good at being in a community and He is so completely trustworthy. There is no fear in His perfect love.
Talk to you soon.
With love,
Katya
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!