If you know me you know that I am a “to myself” kind of person. I don’t mind staying at home for most of the week and being introverted. I assumed that going on the race meant I wouldn’t have as much alone time as I might want or even the same privacy. That assumption was right. Community on the race has been one of the hardest things I’ve had to grow in but it has been so rewarding.
Our squad has around 50 people and on my team are 6 girls. Before launch I had been praying for a heart of compassion and patience. I didn’t want to go on this trip and cover up my feelings to avoid conflict and feedback. In order to grow I knew I would have to be stripped of my pride and humble myself before my teammates & squad mates because of the grace that God is constantly pouring out on me.
I’m not going to lie and say that community has been easy these past few months, because it hasn’t. It’s been something I’ve had to fight for.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 says, “If I speak human or angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give away all my possessions, and if I give over my body in order to boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.”
I feel like this scripture is very clear but when it comes to living it out a lot of us find it almost impossible. I can buy flowers for my teammates, listen to what they have to say and make sacrifices for them; but if none of those actions are out of love it means nothing. My words, actions and how I live my life must stem from love. How I speak to my squad mates has to be out of love. The Lord has taught me so much these past couple of months just by living out the Fathers love.
So what‘s love got to do with it? Everything.
