Trying this again...

For whatever reason I have had the urge to blog now for several days. I am one of those people that love reading blogs but have a hard time posting myself.

On Sunday mornings, Mike has been teaching a class on the book A Pilgrim's Heart by Darryl Tippens. The premise of the book is thinking about spiritual disciplines that we tend to overlook or not practice very well. The conversation has been interesting and challenging. The first few weeks of topics have included Emptying, Welcoming, Resting, and Befriending. All of these things are challenging to me. I want to live an intentional life that strives to rest in the presence of God and befriend others.

In many ways these four topics are connected. Our culture today thrives on busyness. A result of this busyness seems to be surface relationships. We fear letting others know us too well for fear that they might judge us. But yet I think we keep ourselves busy because we are longing to find connections with people.

God designed us to live in community with other people. He did not call creation good until he created Eve for Adam. Jesus appointed 12 disciples to be his community and to be community for each other. I know that the community that surrounds me through faith, family, and work are indespensable. It would be even more difficult to exist without these communities. The relationships that are cultivated with these people continually challenge, encourage, and support me throughout each day, week, month, and year.

Yet it is so difficult to welcome and befriend. I have to allow these communities to do serve these roles. Others need community just as much as I do. My calling as a Christian convicts me to welcome and befriend, yet I struggle so much to do this. Where do we find a balance of reaching out but also needing to be surrounded by our own communities.

I pray that God will continue to cultivate in me that ability to reach out and befriend others especially those that are not like me.

What do you think? Where do you struggle with this?