Often times, people just need to be by themselves. We really can get exhausted when having to conversate extensively or having to love people at such a consistent pace. It can be draining, for the introvert or extrovert, and we just need to recharge our social battery.
No matter how true this is, this truth should not exempt us from seeking and maintaining healthy community within our lives. It IS healthy to withdraw at times to unwind, we often see that Jesus withdrew at times in order to have moments of solitude, silence and especially prayer:
Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him. Mark 1:35-36 NKJV
Looking at Christ's example, we see that it is NOT a bad thing to withdraw at times and to take a moment to be by yourself. I also think looking at this example, Jesus set time aside for that. I don't think it is bad if we just find ourselves overwhelmed and we need to adjust in the moment to be by ourselves, but I do think that we shouldn't wait until those moments of being overwhelmed to make that decision to be alone.
"What does this have to do with me? Why are you even blogging about this?" Because far too often we make the excuse of having to be by ourselves, whether it is because we are overwhelmed, stressed, tired, etc., in order to continuously miss out on building community or fellowship with others. This is one of the main points that I wanted to touch on, primarily because I think it is the context in which we see this verse in Hebrews:
Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25 NLT
In this verse, I don't think the author is saying to never have our own time or alone time or even time to unwind, but rather that we shouldn't prioritize our own time in so much that we are neglecting community or building community. If we know we are going to need our own time, I think we should be proactive in making sure we have already allotted time to be by ourselves in order to be charged up to be in community. There will be moments where our own time needs to be prioritized over the community meeting, but I think that's AFTER we have established community that will make sure to seek after us to make sure we are okay and taken care of.
I put a REALLY big emphasis on building good community because I have experienced the most growth and most love when I am in a healthy community. A community that is doing a good job of not only loving me but motivating me to love others and to make positive changes in my life and ultimately pointing me to the truth of the gospel, Christ Jesus.
It is this type of community that I have had that has spurred me on to have such a heart to be involved in ministry and involved in building this type of community for others to be a part of. When I was in college, being a part of Baptist collegiate ministries at the University of West Florida was what helped me get out of a season of depression and self-pity. It was this exact community that loved me well in my low points that continued to point me to Christ that helped me grow out of the season that I was in. It's especially important that I had it after leaving my home church for school and not knowing an exact community to be a part of while I was gone.
I knew that these types of communities are ESSENTIAL to a Christian, especially in a culture that influences us to depend on ourselves and not on Christ. It is a primary reason that I am doing ministry today vocationally, because building this type of community makes my heart warm and loving people well is why God gave Christians the church body to be a part of.
So I encourage you, implore you even, to set time aside for yourself that way you are able to set time aside specifically for community. Don't sulk in your own brokenness but be encouraged by those who love you.
If you do not have this type of community available to you right now, I'd like to invite you to Awaken Church if you are in the Jacksonville area. This community is special and it is the healthy community that I am a part of now and continue to help build for others to be welcomed and loved.
If you do not have this community in another area, I'd encourage you to begin a search and to start that search with an earnest prayer to the Lord. We will often find ourselves in seasons where the refinement and the growth that we will experience will be uncomfortable and often times we will feel defeated or downtrodden. It is the community that we have established that will help to make a difference in these times. And it is this exactly what my heart is invested towards: helping grow these communities for people to be able to continue to grow in their faithfulness and love for Christ and His people.
As always, stay blessed and keep it clutch.
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