When we think about the word “Community,” we may initially think of a neighborhood park, a local community center, or just a place where people gather. Maybe you have good associations with a community you are involved in, or maybe you’ve always been an outsider to a community you wish you could be included in.
The truth is…
God has hardwired us for us connection! We were made to know, to be known, and to cherish the bonds we create. We were made in God’s image with the need for community and to operate in relationship others.
“The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’” – Genesis 2:18
From the beginning of time, God recognized that it was not good for us—for you—to be alone. He made us and designed us to live in relationship. We were created with the desire for connection and community.
But we weren’t designed to just have a bunch of surface-level connections; God didn’t intend for us to live as part of some giant, cosmic professional network. He designed us to be deeply connected with other people we love and that love us back. Our souls crave connection— we want to know and to be known.
Each and every one of us has a desire to be seen, to be heard, and to be known. That is the essence of how God has made us. God designed us in this way on purpose, and it’s no accident that we long for connection.
Fortunately, the Scriptures teach us a lot about what community means, how it works, and how to experience meaningful connection daily.
As we launch into this journey towards finding our own community, we’re praying God would open up doors of opportunity in your life, soothe hurts and heal wounds, and cultivate the best possible connections you could hope for!