In my last post, I talked about how the Lord desires unity with us, more than relationship or even intimacy. We get to invite Him to come and saturate us, heart and soul, and He comes.
Another way that we can invite the Lord into union is through striving for unity with another as believers.
Unity has been a big theme in this past week in terms of our squad and conflict arising in different teams on the squad. It’s been very evident that the enemy is trying to arouse division within my team, specifically through our communication. We’ve had to have some hard conversations that really lay out some of the misunderstandings and miscommunications we’ve had. In the midst of that, something the Lord reminded me of is that unity is not compromise or passivity. A lot of times, unity with the people placed around us looks like saying the hard thing but saying it in love. It looks like laying out different opinions and respecting them, not compromising or letting the differences divide you further. It looks like good, intentional communication.
I’ll say it: I’m not a fan of confrontation. I’m a “peace at all costs” kind of person. I’m learning, slowly, that these habits are dangerous because they create a false sense of unity. They put up a bright and shiny facade that everything is all good, while underneath there’s just a whole tangle of emotions building up that aren’t being voiced. Peacemaking can look like just slapping a bandaid on a pretty nasty wound that needs some real care: antiseptic, a nice bandage maybe. Communication is that antiseptic, the painful yet cleansing rubbing alcohol you always begged your mom not to put on your boo boo as a kid. It always hurts more, but in the end the wound doesn’t fester; it heals better and often quicker.
When I talk about “saying the hard thing” I’m not just talking about a word vomit session where you talk about everything that’s hurt you in the past 5 years. Bringing offenses we’re harboring to the Lord first is the most important step. When we come to Him, He reveals what’s truly important, and maybe even calls us out on some things we need to let go of. Then, we can go to the people around us and talk things out.
Living in community and striving for unity with one another is difficult. But thank the Lord that He’s walking with us through it all. Unity is hard, but so worth it.
I encourage you to take a look at the people the Lord has placed around you.
Are you prioritizing passivity and peacemaking over true unity and saying the hard things?
Are you letting differing opinions divide you rather than fostering respect for one another?
These are just some things that have convicted me in the past few days. Think on it and reflect on what true unity looks like with the people surrounding you!
Thanks for coming alongside me and supporting me by reading my blogs. God bless!
Emma
Right on, Emma! Thanks for putting the effort into communicating this process of union and unity. You clearly lay it out…so good to be reminded again and again how crucial this is to our health and growth in Christ and in His body. There’s always room to improve and be more ‘conformed to His image’. Thanks for sharing the blessings with us.
Unity is certainly not easy, lots of pitfalls. Good communication, hard conversations, respecting different opinions are the great building blocks to a stronger team. Peace makers are good diplomats, I’m one as well.
Confrontation, not my favorite either. But both have their place in untangling, healing and helping to talk things out. You’ve laid out some great challenging questions for seeking unity, thanks for openness as you work through what unity takes.
OOOOOF those are some good questions. Thank you for this honest insight and wise perspective!