The Importance of Community

Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment. Proverbs 18:1 ESV

Isolation is not synonymous with introversion or solitude. While introverts prefer time alone to think or recharge and solitude is sometimes necessary for self-reflection and creativity, isolation is a deliberate choice to separate or distance oneself from others.

Social isolation can stem from a variety of causes, including illness, loss, or personal circumstances. This is normal and can be healing as long as it doesn’t last for an excessive amount of time.

But the type of isolation that King Solomon warns against is when someone removes himself from others because of categorical differences in political, religious, societal, or cultural beliefs. Refusing to listen to other people’s views and opinions, disregarding sound advice from godly men and women, can lead to a distorted view of God and Scripture.

Herni Nouwen states, “Nothing is sweet or easy about community. Community is a fellowship of people who do not hide their joys and sorrows but make them visible to each other as a gesture of hope. In community we say: ‘Life is full of gains and losses, joys and sorrows, ups and downs—but we do not have to live it alone. We want to drink our cup together and thus celebrate the truth that the wounds of our individual lives, which seem intolerable when lived alone, become sources of healing when we live them as part of a fellowship of mutual care.’”

God did not create us to live as separate entities but to be a part of the body of Christ. Hebrews 10:25 encourages believers not to neglect meeting together, but to encourage one another, especially as they see the Day of the Lord approaching. 

This week, make it a point to connect with others. Call a friend, write a family member, connect with other believers, interact with the body of Christ. You will find others who share the same wounds as you do and, perhaps, they will become sources of healing.