Life is better with one another. I know this because I have a tendency to go at it alone. Every time I find myself on the journey alone, I also find myself not well. Thoughts of insecurity, inadequacy, failure, and an overall victim mentality prevail when I am not intentional to be in healthy community.

In these moments, I feel the need to make up for those thoughts and end up putting on layers to compensate for my feelings of insecurity;  which is exactly what we looked at this past Sunday. (You can watch how a pastor handles himself when a creative illustration fails. I hope you find it as amusing as the volunteers on 801South serve teams who  enjoyed giving me a hard time afterward. Taking yourself less seriously and knowing that you are not your performance is another result of being in healthy community.)

But then I return to genuine community and I am reminded that many of us deal with the same struggles. I had an opportunity to experience genuine community this past week. I was invited to join a small group of pastors from churches around Charlotte who will be meeting regularly to talk and to pray. We spent just over an hour together, but it was one of the most rewarding ways that I spent my time this week. We encouraged one other. We reminded one another that we are not in this alone. We laughed with one another. We were honest with one another.

My heart breaks for those who struggle alone when there is no need to do so. Maybe you are struggling right now and you’re not sure what to do…so you add another layer. Whatever you are trying to accomplish in life, you can’t do it by yourself. We were created for community and I am so excited to see how God is going to provide people with community through small groups this fall. I’d love for you to hear Elizabeth share her story of the support she has received from her small group in the past.

This Sunday, we are concluding our One Anothering series by looking at the patterns of life many of us experience and the way being devoted to intentional community can give purpose to our patterns. God has laid a big revelation on my heart and I am looking forward to sharing it this Sunday.

I hope to see you on Sunday. Invite a stranger. Bring a friend.