Swapping Stories and Thriving in Community

God has the ultimate personality. Have you ever noticed that? He is just so great with such a massive character that as soon as we think we’re finally realizing who he is, he does something that proves us wrong.

Think about it. If the average person is unique in his/her own way, then it only makes sense that God is unique to the nth power.

At my Go-Co meeting this past weekend (it’s similar to a Bible study), we all came up with one word to describe who God has been to us over the years. Words ranged from redeemer to savior to cleanser to hope to leader to identity to sustainer.

As I sat trying to figure out my word (sustainer), I kept coming up with more and more words that described God to me. I mean, who is God? Who are we to think that we can sum him up in a few words?

The Bible has many names for God. Alpha and Omega, Yahweh, I Am, and Father are just to name a few. Add in all of the names Jesus has (the Good Shepherd, Prince of Peace, etc.) and all the words that God is to us and really we aren’t even close to figuring out who he is.

I think it’s amazing that God is so great and mighty that we can never really know him fully. He’s always going to surprise us; we’ll never get bored with him. You know the saying “familiarity breeds contempt”? That will never happen with God because we will always be learning something new about him!

Because God has such a large personality, it’s important that we share our words with others. It’s also important that we share our stories with others so that they know that we haven’t picked the word out of the air. We can never fully know God, but we can all come a little closer to learning more about who he is by, a, studying his Word, and, b, thriving in community.

God created us for community. Even I, a complete introvert, need community to thrive in life. Community allows us to share stories with other believers so that we can know we’re not alone. It also allows us to share stories with nonbelievers so that they can come to know God.

The Bible says this about living in community: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another.” Hebrews 10: 24-25. It is so important for us to live in community, because it is the way that we thrive.

So the next time you feel hesitant about sharing your story with someone, don’t worry. It’s by sharing stories that we can start to become more familiar with who God is.

Have you heard "Forever Reign" by Hillsong? It does a good job at explaining how God is, well, pretty much everything good!

Cheers!

Molly