Embracing Community in an Age of Individualism
“And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25 NRSV
Series: Embracing Community in an Age of Individualism
Devotional: 1 of 6
Whether we are aware of it or not, the world around us is hyper-focused on forming us into the kind of people who spend our days in pursuit of what will make us happy. Happiness comes in many forms, but the prevailing messages of our current culture often go something like this:
"Be whoever you want to be."
"Pursue whatever your heart desires."
"Choose the path of least resistance."
"Cut ties with people who think differently than you do."
"Organize your life in such a way to insulate yourself from pain and suffering."
As these and similar messages begin to take root in our hearts, no area of daily life is left untouched. In time, our unconscious pursuit of individualism begins to shape the people we are becoming, profoundly impacting the places we choose to go, the people we are willing to interact with, and even the lens through which we view God.
Lamentably, it is this kind of thinking that has led to a continual shift away from experiencing life with God in community to settling for life with God as an individual. Day by day, the enemy of our souls is hard at work trying to convince us that life with God on our own little private island is not only possible, but preferable compared to the messiness that will undoubtedly come when we intentionally choose to embrace community life with other disciples of the Way of Jesus.
On the contrary, Hebrews 10:24-25 NRSV says, "And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
Becoming all that God has created us to be in Christ is not a solo pursuit, as the world around us would have us believe. On the contrary, spiritual formation into the likeness of Christ happens in community. In this series, we will explore five spiritual disciplines - prayer, worship, study, Sabbath, and celebration - all of which open us to life with God in community, so that we might become more like Jesus for the sake of others and the advancement of the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth.
Today, take time to consider how God might be leading you to exchange the world's pursuit of individualism and self-reliance for the community life that we see on display in the early Church (See Acts 2:42-47).
OnThe3rdDay Devotionals
Devotionals that illustrate Biblical principles in a simple and short format that can be applied to your everyday life.
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