This article is for my brothers and sisters in Christ. Recently, the Lord has been tugging at my heart about the people around me. With this being my last year in my hometown, I'm starting to realize that the relationships that I have available to me right now won't always be there. Not only that, but the wisdom that I have available to me from my lifelong spiritual mentors is about to become less accessible. In less than a year, I'll be joining a new church family wherever I go to college; I'll have a new pastor, a new small group, a new everything. Those new relationships will take time to build; it won't be the same (at first) as it is now. So with that, I've really been feeling the need to make the most of the relationships around me.
God has used this time in my life to show the importance of fellowship. I've found that the Christian life becomes much easier when you don't try to do it alone. This is not only true spiritually speaking, but it is true in terms of physical things on earth. God gave us our friends and family so that we may not only enjoy them, but also learn from them and struggle with them. If there is sin in my life that I'm struggling with-and there always is-then I pray about it, for sure; but I can also talk about it with someone who understands and might've dealt this sin as well. This is the definition of "iron sharpens iron".
And let's not fail to address the fact that I'm still very much a learner in my faith, and I always will be I suppose; but at my young age, it is especially true that I have much to learn. An older mentor figure is invaluable. I cannot say enough how much the men of my church have helped me grow as a man myself, a biblical man. They've built relationships with me, and given me guidance in my spiritual life. Not only that, but they've offered me encouragement after encouragement in my struggles. It means the world to me that older men would take that time to invest in my life. Trust me, if you haven't already, then you want to get to know older leaders in your church; they're fountains of wisdom, each and every one.
In everyday life, I've found that this pursuit of fellowship has helped me grow closer to the Lord. Being with His people makes you feel His presence more than ever, and Jesus said it would be that way:
"For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." (Matthew 18:20)
I feel the Holy Spirit seep into my heart whenever I'm with fellow believers; it empowers me. In that sense, fellowship is like fuel-it gives us the power to move forward. I've even found that its easier to not sin whenever I've been with some of my Christian friends that day discussing Christ.
That's a big key, we must be discussing Christ in some fashion-whether that manifests itself in a worship service or something as simple as an exchange of prayer requests. These moments in which we both seek to strengthen our relationship with Christ together makes the Christian life seem easier; it's as if God uses fellowship as a means to communicate his glory to me in the most clear way possible.
If you're one of those folks I've been fellowshipping with, then it is my prayer that you experience the power of the Holy Spirit just as I do whenever we are together. I am thankful to our God for you all, and your investment in my life means so much to me. In Christ, I wish you all the best.
