Connected?
Yesterday I was driving into my neighborhood kind of feeling sorry for myself. Nothing bad had happened, I had had a great afternoon and enjoyed time helping some friends. It was a hot day but there really was no reason for me to sit in a puddle of pout, but I was... my thoughts were falling in the puddle because I felt so disconnected with people. Thoughts like, "no one even knows what I am doing", "no one even asks what my days are like..." or "I haven't had a good deep conversation with someone in...." "does anyone care?" Yeah, a real "I am going to go eat worms" kind of attitude!
YET, I have had one of the BEST summers of my life... it at least tops the charts! But this desire for being connected goes deep... and the more I look outward, the more I realize it is NOT my personal issue. Everyone longs and aches to be seen, heard, accepted, smiled at... liked and loved. It reminds me of a quote from one of Don Miller's books that a friend of mine has on her myspace... "And I would sense in His voice and in the lines of His face that He liked me."
A few weeks ago i was sharing a meal with some friends and this ache in my heart started pouring out, almost without permission. I desire to be in a community in which I feel i belong, where I feel a deep level of connection. As the words poured out of my mouth from a deep place within, I saw it struck a hunger in my friends as well - by evidence of tears in their eyes. We all LONG for this, God made us to need this - first with HIM. WE canNOT live without being connected with Him - "He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." - and to one another!
Yet, how we play the lone ranger... the curse of western civilization! Hide the deep hunger and desire... and run after things to avoid real connection and relationships. Part of the answer is being vulnerable to love others; yep - be the first to reach out and love. How scary is THAT! But, truly that is where it starts. It is GOD who FIRST LOVED US... so we might love Him. He put Himself in a vulnerable position... the very real possibility that we could and would reject Him. We did.... wow... YET when we receive His love... and love back, oh the endless possibilities and strength we receive to love fully, completely and fearlessly.
I am not there yet... but when I actually stop to think about how GREAT the LOVE of God is... and that He loves me intimately, persistently, unconditionally... my pouting parties die. They are no fun anyways!!
So, to find that connection starts with HIm; receiving His love... then He empowers me to reach out, love beyond myself and experience true connection. Let's get connected!
YET, I have had one of the BEST summers of my life... it at least tops the charts! But this desire for being connected goes deep... and the more I look outward, the more I realize it is NOT my personal issue. Everyone longs and aches to be seen, heard, accepted, smiled at... liked and loved. It reminds me of a quote from one of Don Miller's books that a friend of mine has on her myspace... "And I would sense in His voice and in the lines of His face that He liked me."
A few weeks ago i was sharing a meal with some friends and this ache in my heart started pouring out, almost without permission. I desire to be in a community in which I feel i belong, where I feel a deep level of connection. As the words poured out of my mouth from a deep place within, I saw it struck a hunger in my friends as well - by evidence of tears in their eyes. We all LONG for this, God made us to need this - first with HIM. WE canNOT live without being connected with Him - "He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." - and to one another!
Yet, how we play the lone ranger... the curse of western civilization! Hide the deep hunger and desire... and run after things to avoid real connection and relationships. Part of the answer is being vulnerable to love others; yep - be the first to reach out and love. How scary is THAT! But, truly that is where it starts. It is GOD who FIRST LOVED US... so we might love Him. He put Himself in a vulnerable position... the very real possibility that we could and would reject Him. We did.... wow... YET when we receive His love... and love back, oh the endless possibilities and strength we receive to love fully, completely and fearlessly.
I am not there yet... but when I actually stop to think about how GREAT the LOVE of God is... and that He loves me intimately, persistently, unconditionally... my pouting parties die. They are no fun anyways!!
So, to find that connection starts with HIm; receiving His love... then He empowers me to reach out, love beyond myself and experience true connection. Let's get connected!
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