When my friend was visiting from out of town, she wanted to experience Venice and Santa Monica. By the time we hit the road it was 5pm, also known as rush hour.  LA traffic is horrible as it is but rush hour can be horrendous!  Thankfully, I could take advantage of one perk on the freeway called the carpool lane.   Most of the time, that lane is of no consequence to me when returning home from work because I am usually by myself, and thus, subject to the normal rush hour traffic.  In this instance, with my friend in the passenger seat, I maneuvered to the far left lane with a huge smile on my face.  While riding in the carpool lane, we were passing by cars driving at a snail pace.  It was great! Sometimes even the carpool lane can be traffic ridden but in this case it was smooth sailing.  As I was driving, the Lord spoke to me.  He reminded me that we can go further together than we can alone.  Imagine if I was in the car by myself, it would have taken me longer to arrive to the destination.  I would have been hindered by all the other cars on the road. However, with my friend at my side, we were able to go further and faster together.

As I reflect on what the Lord shared with me, I am reminded of the people who have walked alongside me, challenged me, and supported me along my journey. I think about the time they invested in me.  I remember the instances where I wanted to give up but God would send someone to tell me not to quit. 

Let’s revisit the story of my friend and I riding in the car.  We will not always be driving together but our friendship helps us to get where God wants us to go.  This is why the Word of God admonishes us to use our gifts to serve one another (Reference 1 Peter 4:10).  The gifts inside of her help me to go further and vice versa.  Even more, this is why it so important to have God ordained relationships! If you are not sure whether your friendships are from God, ask Him and be willing to let go if that is the answer is no.

There is also something else to consider.  The enemy of our souls desires to hinder this type of connectedness and community.  To say it plainly, Satan wants to destroy our relationships to delay us from walking the path God has set for us.  The truth is, we cannot fulfill our God given purpose without people.  Granted, the way we help and support one another varies but it is of great value nonetheless.  This is why the Bible talks so much about how we should treat one another.

The other night, I was reading Philippians 4.  This chapter is known for many things but there was one section I would read right past.  This time I stopped and pondered what God was saying.  In the verses below, Apostle Paul is speaking to the Church at Philippi:

“Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche.  Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement.  And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News.  They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life.” Philippians 4:2-3

Paul was pleading with these two women to squash whatever beef they had. (Do people still say that?)  His reason was because they “belong to the Lord.”  I believe this was placed in there to remind us not to walk around angry and upset with one another; it has a way of slowing down what God wants to do.  There disagreement was also impacting the people around them. So much so Paul asked the church to help these ladies get it together!  God has called us to settle our differences and walk in peace with one another.  Don’t get me wrong, I know this is not easy when feelings and emotions are involved. I have been through situations with friends (who were also believers in Jesus) where we were not getting along, at all!  But God always desired to bring us to a place of reconciliation where we truly walked in love towards one another.

I have also found myself in seasons where I was not willing to go in the car pool lane.  I would isolate myself from others and not open my heart.  I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that is not the place where purpose thrives, rather, it dies.  I thank God for bringing my out of that lonely season and placing me in community where I am growing and thriving.  Relationships have been restored and my desire to walk in my God given purpose was renewed. 

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for creating me to live life in community. Thank you for the people You have brought into my life. Help me create strong relationships that are a reflection of Your heart. If there are hard conversations I need to have give me the courage to do so. Lead me in my relationships and help me be open and vulnerable to those You send into my life. Thank you for giving me the discernment to know who they are.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Until Next Time,

Live Audaciously!

Kay Naomi