Togetherness

I was listening to a favorite author and speaker of mine today, Beth Moore, encourage listeners to use their spiritual gifts for the glory of God. “The spiritual gift is given to us,” she said, “but not for us.” She said it would be easy for her to use her teaching position to gain attention and popularity for herself, but she knew her gift was for others. She also explained how we depend on each other for the gifts we offer!

Wow. I could imagine several instances of depending on the gifts of others.

I depend on the teaching of pastors to learn about God and the Word. On my mom's gift of mercy to give me a break when my overly harsh conscience fuels feelings of inadequacy. On the encouragement of cheering friends when I was feeling low, or didn’t quite believe myself strong enough to march forward in God’s call.

 I’ve depended on people for friendship, for money, for a car, for a place to live! On organizational skills of others! I have one friend who consistently invites herself over just when I need a friend (but won’t ask for it) . . . I mean, this girl literally shows up at my door unannounced, and in my PJ’s or not, we sit on my couch to chat.

I depend on (guy) friends to diagnose my car or help me move (or sometimes be a body-guard when needed!). I depend on my little sister to help me find a chord on my guitar, or my little brother to challenge me to work out. I direct all my medical questions to my nurse roommate, or my money questions to my business-minded brother.

 Yeah, I certainly do not live isolated! Nor would I ever want to!

This theme has been hitting me a lot lately. Togetherness.

We were made to live together. I would emotionally and spiritually starve otherwise.

There is a cultural phenomenon that is so real and so pervasive and so carefully manipulated that I hesitate to even bring it up because I am afraid of the attack it would bring on me --  but I trust the sure protection of my Savior over the attack of my enemy!-- Satan is strongly trying to isolate us.

The enemy to our soul, to our growth, to our satisfaction, and to God’s glory, wants so bad to destroy us individually by destroying our “togetherness."

I’ve been through church splits, seen my parents divorce, been to countries that had recently been through war. I’ve seen friends and family members refuse to talk with each other. I’ve experienced effects of division. It’s broken my heart.

I’ve also seen effects of the more passive version of division— self-dependence. Isolation through “doing it alone” is even more scary and sad to me than division. My family used to have one television in the living room; now everyone has a television in their own room so they can choose what they want to watch. We don’t have to go through the pain of dividing . . . we’ll just live isolated. We don’t affect each other, or hurt each other, but neither do we depend on each other, or find love.

Technology may be new, but fantasy is not. Fantasy can easily keep people isolated too. When I was going through a hard period in my childhood, I entered a fantasy world. In that world, I manipulated the characters, I controlled the circumstances. But, I’m so thankful God rescued me out of that world. Though I love creative imagination, living in fantasy world is cold and unsatisfying. When God brought me into the warmth and love of reality as a teen, I haven’t wanted to go back to fantasy since! I even have a hard time enjoying TV or movies (or talk incessantly during them) because I’m so thankful for reality!

I think of the way God created “togetherness” in marriage and its unfortunate and unsatisfying substitute “lust.” It’s a lot of work and giving to create and maintain a relationship! And how easy it is to find a substitute or indulge in sexual pleasure outside of marriage. And yet the true “togetherness” of giving and depending on each other is only found in marriage.

I think of adventure. This one hits home for me. Though my calling overseas to Thailand for over 3 years was of God, it was an adventure! My last year was isolated in a village, and the loneliness brought me home. And yet I was ready for the adventure to continue when I came home. I made plans to go to Egypt and Israel for 3 months each, and Brazil was in the near future. I made friends quickly, but also left them easily. I had gotten my Teaching English degree to make me mobile and marketable in any country I had a fancy for.  And yet God spoke clearly to me when I got home to San Diego that I was to stay, to get grounded, to get involved. I had never imagined being a college instructor, but they sought me out. I accepted the job, and decided to stay.

At the time I thought I was giving up my chance to better myself, improve myself. Young and single and free! I could gain experience. And perhaps I was giving that up. Yet, I’ve learned that it was the Spirit’s plan to teach me dependence. Staying was the best decision of my life, and only now can I see that.

I have since been committed to a group of people, to a church, to friends, to my family, to a job, to a city, to a ministry. And I have never been so satisfied being so closely connected, committed to and dependent on others. God may move me to another country in the future, but being “grounded” is His plan for me right now, and I’m loving it!

“Togetherness,” community, fellowship, the Body. We were made in the image of it, and we were made for it!

And I’m so thankful for that!!! So, I will stay connected! And I will use my spiritual gifts for the body! (And I’ll get married! . . . hehe! J ) . . .

Togetherness.