Sometimes life is tough. I’ve experienced (what I think are) a lot of tough times thus far in my short life (no comments on my height, please).
However, life has been a lot less tough in the past few years, mainly because I know what community looks like. I know what life with people should be like. I’m learning what it means to bear with one another, to live life with others that actually means something.
I think all too often we are afraid of being real with one another. We hold back our struggles, sins, insecurities, and doubts. We may even hold back our joys, wins, and celebrations of things going well in our lives.
We are afraid of being known, yet that’s all we really desire. We are made to be in community with one another.
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2)
Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. (Romans 12:15)
“I don’t like going this long without being with you guys in the same room. I feel like the devil knows we’ve been apart, and he chooses those periods of time to just give us all the junk he can throw at us.”
I got this text message last night from one of my dearest. I’d been having a rough week – and by week, I mean multiple weeks, maybe months – and, after a long conversation about life, she sent this. It’s so right.
We need each other. And I’m not just saying I need my friends and they need me.
I’m saying you need your friends. They need you.
We need to create a safe place for one another to just be – the be able to weep, to rejoice, to celebrate, to hold one another up.
May we all be willing to admit that we need one another – that life is better with people.
Let’s keep showing up.
*if you want to giggle a little & feel some feels, click here to watch Kristen’s last go-round as a SNL cast member!
Kayla Smith 