It takes a village: we were never created to go it alone
“Just as lotions and fragrance give sensual delight, a sweet friendship refreshes the soul.” (Proverbs 27:9)
Throughout our lives, we all experience bouts of loneliness and feeling like we don’t belong. When you’re in the thick of times like this, always remember it’s not true. It may be that you have just outgrown your current village and need to find a new one that fits you better or just haven’t found your village yet.
We were never meant to live a solitary existence. After creating Adam, God declared it is not good for him to be alone and would create a new companion for him (Genesis 2:18). After all the animals were named and a suitable companion had not been decided, God then created Eve. (Genesis 2:22) From the beginning, we were never intended to deal with our struggles on our own.
Even Moses went to God and said he couldn’t do it on his own anymore. God told Moses to gather those he trusted and that God would bless them to work together. (Numbers 11:16-17). God provided Moses with the support he needed, and God will provide the support we need in our own village.
How do you build your village?
If you are in the midst of loneliness or lack a village, you may wonder how to build your new village. Maybe you just moved due to a career change or to start college and have no one around you. Building friendships as an adult may be more difficult than when you were a child. It doesn’t have to be impossible though.
We are drawn to people who are similar to us. If you’re starting a new job, you can start with your co-workers. You have your career in common and that can be a good stepping stone to getting to know them and possibly discovering further interests in common. They may also know the new area better and be able to give you tips about the area so you can find things of interest. If you’re a student on a new campus, you can turn to your classmates. Introduce yourself to a classmate and see if you can find something in common. If you live on campus or have a roommate, maybe that roommate is the best friend you’ll ever have and you just don’t know it yet.
If you’re a Christian, you can hope to find your village in church. Your village doesn’t have to be limited to your church community. It can, however, give you the opportunity to grow your village and touch your neighborhood and town. Others you come in contact with may be drawn to you from seeing God’s love shine through you.
Being in a village lets you surround yourself with people who are all at different points of their faith journey and allows you all to share your burdens. (Galatians 6:2) It’s always nice to have different perspectives on things you’re going through. Everyone in a village has something of value to share.
As well as having our village, God has also called for us to help those who are in need around us (Leviticus 19:9-10). It takes a village to live life. As believers and followers of Christ, our village makes up the body of Christ. We are better together than we are on our own (Romans 12:4-5).
Your village should never feel forced or boring. You should love your village (1 Corinthians 13). The stronger our villages are, the better we can encourage, help, and support each other. As believers, when we grow in our relationships with other believers, it also allows us to grow our relationship with God.
Centerpoint Church is ready to walk with you on your faith journey
At Centerpoint, our community believes in purpose and passion, and we would love to walk with you on your journey in finding yours. You can also find out what our community’s purpose and passion are all about by checking out some of the past sermons we’ve posted on our website.
Do you want to grow in your faith, or are you simply curious about who this Jesus guy is? You’re not alone. We encourage you to listen to our podcast series online and welcome you to come to one of our Sunday morning services in Valrico, Florida.