Better Together: Seeking God With OthersНамуна

Seek unity.

Believers are never told to become one; we already are one, and are expected to act like it. — Joni Eareckson Tada 

As Christ followers, unity is important because the goal of it is God's glory. In order to be “like-minded,” our community must have the same handbook that we live by: the Bible. When the Bible is the blueprint for our lives, we can live in unity with other believers.

But it isn’t always that easy. There are so many groups in the Christian community that think their way and their interpretation is the only way. We get bothered about the smallest of things and then get even more bothered when others don’t feel the same about those small things. In order to find common ground as Christ followers, here are a few ways to seek unity:

Start with yourself. 
Pastor Craig Groeschel says, “We judge others by their actions while judging ourselves by our intentions.” It is so natural to focus on the shortcomings of others while overlooking our own deficiencies. Because of this, disunity is kindled in our hearts. If we would spend more time showing the grace to others that we show to ourselves, we would experience more unity among those with whom we may not see eye to eye. 

Love above all. 
When asked about the most important commandment, Jesus replied that there are two: love the Lord and love our neighbors. On the days when we find ourselves upset and feeling anything but love toward a fellow Christ follower, we must always go back to love. We have to remember that we are not each other’s enemy. 

Connect, don’t clash. 
We can always find someone we don’t agree with. What’s more challenging is to focus on what we do agree on. The gospel message is simple: God sent His son to earth to die on a cross to cover our sins. When we accept that free gift of salvation, we get to spend eternity with God. What a point of unity! If we find ourselves griping and arguing about smaller doctrines, we have handed Satan a gold medal. 

Unity is critical for like-minded community with other Christ followers. We don’t have to agree on everything but we should strive to connect and love above all. If we would all fix our eyes on Jesus, allow Him to lead us completely, and receive His Spirit’s conviction willingly, unity would be within our grasp.

Reflect

• Do you tend to be a person who looks at your own issues or focuses on the shortcomings of those around you?
• What is one thing you can adjust in your life in order to walk in unity with fellow believers in Jesus as well as your close-knit community?
• Write down any revelation that God speaks to you through today’s Bible reading or devotional.