You Were Created for Community

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Seven years. That's how long it had been since he'd walked into a church building.

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He pulled into the parking lot with a plan. Sit in the back row, stay invisible, and make a quick exit. With his heart racing, he reached for the door handle, ready to leave before anyone noticed. Then the lobby doors opened and a voice said, Hey, glad you're here. He froze. Part of him wanted to bolt, and part of him wondered if this time could be different. What happens when you risk one step back toward God and his people?

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Welcome to Daily Devotions for Busy Lives. I'm Bart Leger. If you've ever felt disconnected from people, or even from God, I want you to know you're not alone. Life has a way of isolating us, and before we know it, we're trying to carry things we were never meant to carry alone. But God didn't create us for isolation. He created us for community. He He created us for connection and for belonging to a family of faith. Ecclesiastes chapter 4 verses 9 and 10 says, Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. And Romans 12 5 reminds us, We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. Here's the truth.

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Life is better together. God wired us to do life in community.

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We can help one another grow, and we can find healing, and we can find strength through relationships. When you fall, someone else can help you up.

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And when they fall, you can do the same for them. That's how community works. It's mutual.

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But community isn't automatic.

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It starts with risk. The risk of showing up. Sure, you may not find what you're looking for, but you'll never know if you don't try. And yes, you run the risk of letting people see the real you. But when you find the right church family, one that sees beyond that and loves you anyway, you found a home. That's what the man in story did. He stayed. Someone learned his name and remembered it. Someone invited him to sit with them.

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Someone prayed for him. And over time, the walls began to come down. He discovered that belonging isn't about fitting in.

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It's about being loved for who you are and growing into who God made you to be. That's what the church is meant to be. A family where nobody stands alone. You and I need those kinds of people.

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And someone else out there needs you too. This week, take one step toward community. Show up at a church somewhere. Join a small group. Send a text to a friend you've lost touch with.

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If you're already part of a church family, look for someone standing alone and make the move.

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A simple, hey, glad you're here, might be the start of someone's comeback story. Lord, thank you for creating us for community.

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Forgive us for trying to do life on our own. Help us to build relationships that strengthen faith and bring healing to others. And Lord, may we reflect your love to the world. And if someone listening feels alone today, remind them, they belong.

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They belong to you and they belong to your family. In Jesus' name, amen. Thanks for joining me today on Daily Devotions for Busy Lives. Remember, life wasn't meant to be lived alone.

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Come back next time for more encouragement to help you live grounded in God's truth. Until then, God bless and have a great day.