The Importance of Community
By: Mission Team
“I don’t need any help.” “I can handle this myself.” “I work alone.”
We are all bound to hear either ourselves or someone else say this at some point in our lives. And this makes it crazy to think how much social creatures like ourselves desire to reject the help and company of others.
Today’s culture popularizes independence, individuality, and just doing whatever the heck you feel like doing, all to a point where it seems the world is discouraging the support and input given from others.
To make matters worse, the current Covid-19 pandemic has only encouraged the world to have people isolate and live in fear of one another.
With all these messages the world is sending to us in tearing down our communities, I have been able to see through it, and realized the importance of having a strong group of people around to help me grow and thrive in life.
Even before Covid-19 struck the world, I was very much absorbed in the lone-wolf lifestyle, and most of it actually was a result of my upbringing. I was homeschooled until high school and never tried to make any friends till that point. Instead, I hung out with the kids my siblings had made friends with. When I first made it to high school, I was too afraid to make new friends, and just sat silently, hoping some would come my way. By the time I finally started making friends, my family switched schools, and the thought of leaving many people behind frustrated me a great deal.
Throughout the rest of high school I made a few friends; but only ever ones that reached out to me first, which led me to never want to put much effort or dedication into my friends. When I left high school and started college, I never once attempted to meet anyone, and only relied on the small handful of people I knew from high school as my friend group. Throughout this time I came to a realization. Even if I did not want to admit it, I was incredibly lonely.
I needed community desperately, but I just was not aware that was what I needed. However, a burning passion to find a new, strong community was put onto my heart when I was asked to become a missionary for Hard as Nails Ministries.
There were so many things to look forward to in becoming a missionary, such as traveling, ministry, social skills, and job experience. But the thing that was always on my mind when discerning coming was being part of a community.
Since my arrival at Hard as Nails Ministries, the community I am with has been one of the greatest gifts I have received in my life. I have laughed with others more than I have in my life, shared my struggles, and related to the struggles of others. I found accountability in others, served others and their needs, and so much more.
I am so thankful for my community, even the seemingly negative aspects of it, arguing, different opinions, opposite personalities, etc. The negatives always seem to make me grow in some way, be it something like increasing in patience or hearing the opinions of others.
To all of you reading this, I urge and beg you to seek out a good community. And if you already have a community, then take extra steps to make it that much stronger! Trying to accomplish everything by our own doing can lead to loneliness, and from experience I can tell you, that can be crippling.
Plus, living around a community is also encouraged by Scripture. Think back to the Gospels, Jesus made sure to travel with the Apostles and his disciples; and he made sure that if they had to split up, they would never go alone. If you are feeling lonely or desiring to have good people to be around in life, have the courage to take that step to meet new faces in building a solid community. Not only do I encourage you to build community, but Christ does as well ten thousandfold.
