A few years ago, the Lord sat at my table tapping His fingers waiting to have a conversation with me.
I ignored Him. I didn’t want to talk about it and I didn’t want to go there. So day after day, He patiently waited, annoyingly, slurping on a latte.
His slurping was driving me nuts.
When God wants to converse with us, He’s such a pesky little thing. I guess it’s him loving and wanting the best for us, like any good parent.
The discussion on the table? (pardon the pun). Relationships.
He kept asking me one question: “When Holly? When will let you others back in?” I thought the question was nonsense. I had wonderful friends, family I adored, but yet, I knew where He was going.
He was going deeper into the murky waters of my heart I kept hidden. The parts closed off and boarded up like Fort Knox.
So, I kept ignoring Him and every time I passed by my dining room table, I just kept piling more crap on it, hoping I could ignore the issue at hand.
Instead I just kept staring at it or envisioning people sitting there. This went on for weeks until one day after sitting home on a Friday night and eating a whole bag of Doritos, I realized I was lonely.
Here’s the issue with all of us afraid of letting others in:
We don’t want to get hurt.
Many of us have been deeply wounded or betrayed by others we have let in. Or we’ve been the one hurting others because of our own issues. Let’s be honest, relationships are hard work.
I love this quote from Glennon Doyle Melton:
Relationships are harder for those doing them right, because it takes all of you.
I went searching for answers about God’s heart on fellowship between His kids so, I delved into the scriptures. And this is what I discovered:
Nowhere in scripture does it instruct us to isolate.
It does caution us to guard our hearts, but it also tells us to open our hearts wide to one another. To bear with one another, forgiving and confessing our sins to one another.
In all our “one another’s” this is the training ground our heavenly Father uses to teach us to love, forgive, and show mercy like His Son.
And we are only cheating ourselves of His power, righteousness, and the healing gift relationships can bring to our lives, if we let our hearts be ruled by fear.
A year ago the Lord challenged me to start a couple’s bible study group in our home.
The first night we had the couples over I was so nervous I thought I would vomit. As I was cleaning the house like a mad woman, I yelled out to my hubby:
“Our house is so outdated! Our furniture is so old! And seriously look at this kitchen floor, it’s embarrassing!”
My husband knew where I was going with all of this. He stopped, grabbed my shoulders and said, “Holly. Stop. If they don’t like our old house and furniture then whatever, but this is who we are.“
Our group has been meeting now for almost a year. I cannot begin to tell you the gift these people have been in our lives.
At our table we have laughed our heads off, broken bread, prayed for each other’s kids, and may or may not have prank called a pharmacy or funeral home. (after bible study of course, eh.um.).
We’ve also at times hurt each other’s feelings, over stepped boundaries, but, asked each other for forgiveness pushing through, knowing each other’s hearts are good.
Recently at my son’s graduation party when I looked around at all the beautiful friendships we have in our lives, I thanked the Lord for being a pest and showing me His perfect love casts out all fear.
For anyone reading this desiring closer relationships, I’m wondering if you may have a carpenter dude sitting at your table.
(Obnoxiously slurping on a latte).
Next time you pass by, you just may want to sit down and hear what He has to say.
I can’t promise you won’t get hurt, but I can promise you the riches and rewards from a real fellowship in your life is worth the risk.
{image source: canstockphoto}
Thank you thank you thank you!
You spoke volumes to validate how I feel!
Stacey- So glad it blessed you. Thank you friend for coming by. xoxo