Don’t Walk Alone
This is something that has really been weighing on me lately. More and more people are secluding themselves, calling themselves 'introverted' and use that as an excuse not to fellowship. They're not going to church or other places that give them the opportunity to socialize in person. They stay home and watch online, which is good for those who are sick or unable to leave home, or they spend most of their time socializing through social media, which is not always healthy. Also, they keep themselves too busy, using it as an excuse to not build relationships.
Let me just get this out there and I may have a few people argue this out with me (don't do it in the comments please) but the terms introvert or melancholy are not excuses to never socialize or never fellowship with others. Both of those have to do with our re-energizing time. Introverts/melancholy temperaments need alone time to gather up their thoughts, to mentally relax and recoup. But being a melancholy myself I have learned that God did create me for relationship and fellowship. That He did create me with this temperament so that I desire/crave, whatever you want to call it, alone time because that's when I get refueled in Him and spend alone time in His word BUT THEN we come out of that time refueled and we fellowship and feed into others spiritually.
What is fellowship??
Let's look at it in the word..
1 John 1:7 (ESV) 7 But if we walk (live) in the light (the manifest fire- God), as He is in the light, we have fellowship** with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
IF we are living a life manifesting the fire/light of God then we have KOINONIA-partnernship, communion, communication... with one another!!
One thing I have noticed is the more my heart became like my Father the smaller my 'bubble' got! Now days I don't even have a bubble. The more I have learned to walk/live in Him the more I manifest His presence everywhere I go and in His presence ALL ARE WELCOME!! Right!?!
So why is this so heavy on my heart? Because I feel like I'm watching true relationship/fellowship wash right out the doors, especially in the church. Not all, but many. It is heartbreaking for me to see.
Why is fellowship with one another so important? I'm glad you asked..
Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV) And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
WE NEED EACH OTHER!! We need each other to spur each other on in difficult and dry seasons. We need each other to stir up our gifts and our love walk. We need each other for encouragement and that push. We need each other to keep from developing the bad habit of neglecting fellowship!! Yep.. God created us for relationship!
Friends, please don't get so caught up in temperaments, titles (introvert/extrovert/etc), and behaviors that you neglect the very thing God created you for! Don't let your life get so busy with meaningless things that you don't find time to gather with friends to build relationships or that you miss weeks of church neglecting the very reason you are here! You never know who may walk through the doors of your church that needs something specific that you may be able to give into them. If you're not there, they may not get what they need and you both miss your blessing.
Have you let these excuses keep you hidden?? Don't walk alone.. the road will seem much longer!
Father thank you for relationship. Thank you for creating us in Your image, filling us with the Holy Spirit and placing in our hearts Your desires. I receive all that You have for me. I choose to walk in You and spread the manifested presence everywhere I go. I choose to not dwell on labels and choose to walk in Your fullness. Father give us all wisdom to know when to get quiet and allow You to re-energize, revitalize and refuel us so that we are always full and ready to fulfill Your purpose in our lives. Guide our footsteps, guard our mouths, open our ears to hear Your voice and our eyes to see as You see! In Jesus name. Amen!!