From day one I knew the World Race was going to stretch me. Not being able to ever do anything by myself…. what a great way to make an independent introvert go crazy. Let me tell you, there are times when I want nothing more then to escape, to be by myself, for just one day.
Yet every second I spend by myself I realize how I don’t remember what it is to be alone. And to be honest it terrifies me.
Who am I {without anyone else}?
In five months I go home, where I have no solid community nor do I have fifty like-minded people constantly surrounding me. What is it going to be like to drive in a car by myself? To go to a store by myself? Or to not be loved well by everyone around me? In all of these questions, I have had to accept the reality that going home very well could be harder then leaving for the race.
The World Race stole my independence, and I am not sure how I feel about it. Is all of this just setting me up for failure when I go back home in a few short months?
But then God reminded me of this truth: we are not meant to live life alone.
Society pushes independence; we are made to believe that trust is not something to be given out freely. We have adopted a “DIY” culture of I don’t need anyone else in my business. Community is rare and seen as radical- something completely out of the ordinary. We may attend church on Sundays, or even go to Bible studies during the week, but are we really supporting each other how God asks us to? (Take a look at the early church in Acts 2:42-47) We live our separate lives in our big houses with closed doors.
All the while God gently whispers: rely on me.
If we truly relied on God as the body of Christ we would then also be completely reliant upon the other members of our body. (1 Corinthians 12:12-20) A body can only function as a whole, not as separate pieces. A foot can’t go anywhere with out the leg, a finger can’t function without the hand, and so on. When we believe we are better on our own and detach ourselves from the body…we become useless. Living in community- emphasis on the unity- is a fundamental core of Christianity and the more we separate our lives, the further from God we become.
Jesus died on the cross to bring us back to our Father. The veil was torn…and the Holy Spirit entered the equation. No longer did only a few select get to meet God. No, now He lives inside of me and inside of you. The temple, the sacrifices, and the rituals of religion were no more (or at least that was the hope).
It is in our human nature to be independent, but as Christians why are we living inside the limitations of our own human nature? We are a new creation. The old is washed away. (2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 4:17-24)
I once upon a time fought for independence in the political realm. I passionately believed that every man should be free to make his own decisions, and that it is not our governments purpose to tell us what we should choose to do with our lives. That is as long as we are not harming anyone else. Ideals like communism are a beautiful thought, but they do not consider the reality of our human nature. It is in our selfish nature to strive for more… more money, more power, and more things. I still believe this for our government, and I believe in free choice, but as a child of God I REFUSE TO LIVE FOR MORE OF THIS WORLD.
My fight now becomes to be set apart, to show the world that another life is possible. Not through judgmental words that tear people down, but through actions of love. Happiness is not something we have to spend our whole lives striving for, but instead it is something that comes from a God who loves us so much that He sent His Son to set us free! With Him we need nothing else.
In five months I will be on a flight home, whether I am ready for it or not. The truth is though that it is my choice what I make of it. Will I chose to live this life God has called me to, or will I settle for what the world has to offer?
Together lets take God out of the box we keep trying to stuff Him in, and instead let us learn what it means to truly rely on Him and on each other. Imagine the ripple effect this would create…
