Do you have a solitary relationship with God or a social one?

Christianity is essentially a social religion, to turn it into a solitary religion is indeed to destroy it.

~ John Wesley

John Wesley said this way back in 1734 and he believed this wholeheartedly! His life was dedicated to helping people know Jesus Christ, to share His love with all people, and to develop and deepen relationships.

I too believe and experience the truth of this quote deep within the marrow of my bones. Here’s why.

1. Many of us are violated and hurt in solitude and community. We can’t go through life without pain and suffering. Sometimes this misery is at the hands of others and occasionally, because of our own mistakes and choices.

We can make an obvious vow to never trust again or silently withdraw. We become isolated and alone in our own thoughts which can be damaging. Maybe not to begin with, but eventually, this separation leads to a flat, empty, and depressing life.

To heal and grow we need others to walk with us. The terrain is challenging! Not all people are untrustworthy. It takes time to learn to trust again and to determine who those safe people are.

Our spiritual relationship or our connection to God can be contaminated in obvious ways. Maybe we’ve never trusted God or slowly have walked away from this relationship. As we come to know God as a loving and faithful God, we can begin to trust Him and others. But this takes intentional work AND the support of honest and reliable people. This takes time, vulnerability, and commitment.

God has more for us! We can have a full life with others and share the hope God offers.

2. We are designed to be in relationship. We’re born into a family. Even though families look different, we all need a caregiver to nurture and protect us. It’s in our DNA to need one another.

God designed the world and came into our world as a community. All throughout Scripture, God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are present and in relationship with one another. They, the Trinity function in relationship, and each has a vital role. They could not function without one another, nor can we. You and I can have a relationship with each person of the Trinity which can be rich and powerful.

God knew we could not survive without one another. That we need Him and people around us to care and love us. As our connection to God flourishes and deepens, we want to share this with others. If we keep our faith to ourselves, how will others find hope?

Recently, many of us have experienced the damaging power of isolation from the impact of the COVID pandemic. This was not good for us on so many levels: illness, depression and other mental health challenges, lack of resources (medical, financial, goods and services to name a few), and much more.

Out of this difficulty, may we all be drawn back to one another and to God. Let’s be brave and step out of isolation and even spiritual isolation, into a deeply connected community of people who love God and one another.

If you are unsure of where this kind of community might be for you or don’t know where to begin to trust God and people, call me or email me. I would consider it an honor to help.