Day 19: Cultivating Community
"No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him." 1 John 3:6
Honesty, humility, courtesy, confidentiality, and frequency are part of the commitment in belonging to a community. If these are things that are currently not within your community and fellowship, then there are tough choices and risks one must take. God is not looking for flattery, gossip, or pride. He is looking for you to be able to grow with your small group. To learn of yourself and your spirit through His will and grace. There are so many ways to cultivate God with your community and should be something you are genuinely interested in. I enjoy blogging God's wisdom as well as insights I find helpful in bringing me closer to God. I continue to be an unbias ear to my best friends and often time play devil's advocate in hoping to make sure they think through all their thoughts. I am a secret keeper. I try to resist gossip as much as possible and maintain a genuine nature. I struggle with stubborn pride. I get closer each day to breaking down my own walls so others' do not have to.
"This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him." 1 John 3:19-21