Learning to be aware

Its been quite a few months since I've last written. Between these past few months and seasons, I have undergone great deal of transition. From graduating high school, to moving away to college. Some of you, who were once in college or have moved to a different city understand that transition does not come easy. As the semester is winding down and everyone is reflecting on the year or semester, I thought I would share my thoughts on this semester. Through these past couple months of adjustment I have learned some important lessons. The art of learning and learning to be more aware is the greatest lesson this semester has taught me. Through out most of High school I was involved. I got into this rhythm of leading, serving, being around familiar environments, and seeking the Lord through my alone time with Him. God has stretched me in college to listen, learn, and get to know him through community and vulnerability. For He has designed us to be in deep vulnerability with those you are unlike us. I am learning that it takes time and trust to unpack ones heart.
     The greatest sense of humility is vulnerability. I read this quote a couple months ago which responated deep within my heart, "To be in posture of reverence to God is the willingness to listen to Him and others." If I could sum up this semester in one sentence or quote this would be it. It is easy to go through this semester fixed on the temporary struggles and loneliness. When life is lived focused on myself, we loose sight of God and his holiness. If we decided to quite our self-fosuced thoughts and choose to listen to others, our hearts will open to God. We suddenly realize that there are other people who share similar struggles. The Joy of sharing each others burden comes to life.

"The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7

The longer we live in our own bubble, we become numb to God and the world. We loose sight of God's holiness and we forget the mountain of the darkness the world is filled with. We grow numb to the thousands of people who are drowning in spiritual darkness with no hope. What if, God beckoned you to be used in his redemptive plan to bring His children back to Him? What if the only way you could be truly used is if you were aware of where God placed you. Being prayerfully aware of the people you interacted with each day. From this awareness community expands.
       Community is no longer those who are in your personal bubble, but those who are across from you. Sometimes it is those who are different from you whether in race, personality, or gender. We are not limited to certain people we are called to, but we have the possibility to befriend anyone around us. Maybe there is an unexpected person you keep running into?  For what is seen in ones appearance, masks the an unseen hurt, pain, and loss going on in everyones life. The power of community not only brings us closer to God, but it allows us to reach behind the barriers of the heart in people. A key way of being in community with someone, is being vulnerable.
        During one of my university's conference sessions, the speaker used the creation story as an example of how God designed community. Adam and Eve were both naked, they were intimately vulnerable with each other. Yet they were different from each other, Adam being male and Eve being a female. When they both committed the first sin, they felt like they needed to cover up their sin. Feeling deep shame for their actions. This moment marked the first realization of shame which became the enemy to vulnerability. Thus causing Adam and Eve to cover their flaws. We can see from this picture, that God originally designed mankind to be vulnerable with those unlike us.
       For we are no better than the next person. When both persons are open about their sin, shame is defeated. Then in that moment they know they are not alone in their struggle. When hearing this imagery about vulnerability, I finally understood community. For so long I have tried being the light of Jesus through service. The longer I bottled up my struggles, serving others was rooted in my pride of who people saw me. The moment I started to open up, that pride walked out the door, instead freedom to draw near to God became abundant. As a community we are the bride of God. Let us not allow our self-centered desires and thought filled shame keep us away from the community in which God has called us to live in. Let us continue:

"Not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
Hebrews 10:25.