Community is Key
We started a new series this week, and I have to be honest with you, the name is not appealing to me. I really don’t want everyone to know my name. I am an introvert and tend to be a pretty private person. I like to slip in and out of places unnoticed if possible. I don’t consider myself to be antisocial; I just prefer a ninja lifestyle over a flashy one. Solitude energizes and strengthens me. Don’t get me wrong, I like people. It’s not that I don’t like people. It’s just that when I am drained, being around a lot of people does not restore my energy.
I enjoy quiet walks alone out in nature. It soothes my soul. It is where I connect the best with God. I enjoy quiet in general. My favorite time of day is first thing in the morning before the sun comes up. Everything is still and quiet…peaceful. It’s a beautiful thing.
Here’s the thing, as much as I love quiet and solitude, I know that too much time alone is not good for me. I was made for community. I was created to live with other people. How do I know? Because I was created in the image of God, and God exists in community. God is a triune God. He exists as Father, Son, and Spirit. Genesis 1:26 says, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:...” (emphasis mine). If God exists in community and I was created in the image of God, then I was created for community.
Another reason why I know that too much time alone is not good for me is that I know my enemy. I know that my enemy works best in the darkness and shadows. Isolation is his space of choice, and there is a big difference between isolation and solitude. The more and longer he can isolate me, the more he can get into my head and fill it with lies and deceit…and the more likely I am to believe it.
I went to a conference last week, and one of the keynotes was about High Control Groups, more commonly known as cults. One of the things I found to be most fascinating was the list of commonalities between High Control Groups and Human Trafficking that they presented. Here are a few of the things that were on that list:
Mind-altering practices are used in excess
Has a polarized us-versus-them mentality
Teaches or implies that the ends justify the means
Induces feelings of shame and/or guilt in order to influence control
Subservience requires isolation
The most loyal members are made to believe that there can be no life outside of this one
Anything on that list sound familiar?
I don’t know about you, but this is exactly how the enemy works on me when I am alone for too long. He gets in my mind and alters it with his confusion and lies. He creates a sense of division in my head, making me feel like it’s me against others. He tries to convince me to do or think things that I normally would not do or think, telling me that it’s okay because the ends will justify the means. He is a master of making me feel shame and guilt for anything and everything possible. It is absolutely necessary for me to stay isolated if he is going to maintain control over me. Perhaps the worst thing is that he can convince me that nothing will ever change, that I will always be the horrible person that I am, and that I may as well just stop trying.
Being in community with others is a means of combating these tactics. Surrounding myself with other believers ensures that I always remain surrounded by truth. Having a group of friends that I spend time with regularly keeps me grounded. Being in community with others and listening to their stories reminds me that I am not alone in this life. It reminds me that change is possible and that I am not destined to stay exactly the same as I am today. Being in community reminds me that I am not alone and there are people in this world that will stand by me and fight for me. It reminds me that it is possible to be unified with others and have people that are for me and not against me.
Being in community is key to not only surviving, but thriving in this life. Being in community has saved my life more times than I know I’m sure. Being in community connects me to God on a deeper level. It is what allows me to experience authentic truth and love in my life. Without community, my life would look very, very different…in the worst way.
This doesn’t mean that I can’t have alone time every now and then. Remember, solitude is not the problem. Isolation is the problem, especially isolation for long periods of time. Solitude is incredibly important to me. Like I said earlier, I connect easiest and the most with God during my walks alone out in nature. For me, it’s about finding that balance between solitude and community. I have to be aware of how much time I am spending alone and make sure that it is not so much time that it turns into isolation. I have to make sure that there are people in my life that will notice when I begin to drift towards isolation and reach out to pull me back into community.
So, how do you feel about everyone knowing your name? Are you an extrovert that thrives on being surrounded by people? Or are you more like me and need to be alone in order to be energized? Either way, I recommend that you work on finding that balance between solitude and community. There is something to be said for both sides, and I honestly believe that we need both. We need time alone with God. We also need community. I don’t think we can become everything we were created to be without both. Jesus modeled both during His time on earth, and we would do well to follow suit.