The Chain Link of Our Hearts - Jewell Utt
We are social creatures. Although we need downtime and alone time, we also need community. I treasure time alone because I can quiet my heart to write, think, pray, or do nothing at all. But when days of isolation abound, my heart begins to notice and my spirit rebels. In an odd way, I think this is the Holy Spirit nudging me out. Genesis says it’s not good for [wo]man to be alone. God Himself desired fellowship and friendship. Why wouldn’t we?
Too much time alone can cause us to become isolated, unaccountable, and unproductive. Depression can set in, or worse, self-centeredness. When I begin to feel listless, thoughts pervade my mind about me things. Whose words hurt me, things I haven’t accomplished, past failures, weight concerns, exercise…I realize I’ve fallen off balance and need to get outside of my head.
Staying in balance is the key to a healthy life. We hear a lot about proper rest since people are so busy–but in my encounters, I see a greater need for people to reach out. At the core, people are lonely. We can all perform tasks, have many people around us, yet still feel alone and unsatisfied. It’s because we’re not truly linked. We haven’t pursued the deeper relationships of life. The ones that require something more of us, the courage to connect.
Connecting with others is a labor of the heart. It’s the chain reaction of both reaching out and receiving graciously from others. Many people build walls around their heart to prevent hurt. But hurt can produce unexpected experiences that enrich us in the end.
In contrast, if you allow fear to steer your life, it will cocoon you from a full life. To become a link in the chain of community requires you to step out and open up your heart.
I pray you will be blessed as a part of this community. May you find encouragement, friendship, and encourage others along the way. May we link our hearts together.
That their hearts may be encouraged, being [linked] together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ. Colossians 2:2
