Devotionals for the Heart: Community

Joining a Community
A devotional by Heidy De La Cruz

“One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” – Proverbs 18:24 (NIV)

Have you seen the movie, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants? Or maybe read the book series the film is based on?

If you haven’t, I’ll give you a quick summary: A group of four female friends are out shopping, and they come across these jeans. They all end up trying on the jeans, and although they all have a different body figure, the jeans fit them each perfectly. They decide to share an equal amount of time with the jeans because they are all going away for the summer the next day. So, in a sense, the jeans keep them tied together.

I want you to ask yourself, do you have a group of friends with a pair of magical jeans that fits everyone? Probably not, but do you have a group of friends who are believers? Do you have one, two, or maybe three friends or acquaintances who you can talk to and request prayer from? If you don’t, it is important that you do because Jesus Christ calls us to be part of a community of believers, who pray for each other, who can confess our sins to each other, and to be there for one another. James 5:16 (NIV) says, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

Having other believers pray for you is encouraging and uplifting, especially during turbulent times. You have this sense of fulfillment and hope afterward. It’s a little hard to explain. But being part of a community can also help with your relationship with Jesus. When I joined a “growth group” at my church, (what we call small groups), they would encourage us to worship God for twenty minutes, read the Bible for twenty minutes, and then pray for twenty minutes. Before joining, I had never done that before, and it became part of my routine. I felt like I was growing closer to Jesus and getting to know him like never before.

Think of Jesus like the pair of jeans from the movie; He fits everyone, no matter our shape. He is with each of us always, and when you gather with others to worship His name, you can feel His presence. It’s just like Jesus says in Matthew 18:20 (NIV), “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

If you are currently not involved in a small group in your church, I encourage you to pray about it and seek to join a group. Or maybe search for an online, Bible-based faith community that you can join. I’ve even been part of Christian book clubs, which also is good, but I encourage you to seek community within the Body of Christ (church).

Let’s Pray: Father God, I pray for those who are not involved in any faith-based groups that they will be able to find one. I pray that the group will encourage them and lead them closer to you, God. And for those who are already part of a community, I pray that they continue to be involved and participate. I pray that they can lead others into the group and grow in faith together. In your name, Jesus, I pray. Amen.

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Author Bio:

Hello, my name is Heidy (Reynoso) De La Cruz.

I am Dominican-American and I’m passionate about writing! I write poetry, encouraging blog posts about personal experiences and any message that God has stored in my heart. I am working on publishing my first poetry book.

First and foremost, I am a daughter of Jesus Christ. I am also a wife and a mother. I have my master’s degree in Healthcare Administration through Belhaven University’s online course. I have my bachelor’s degree in Science with the concentration of Psychology and Healthcare Administration.

I currently work in the medical field as a Medical Billing and Coding Specialist, and I’ve been in the medical field for the last six years. I love my career!

My hobbies include writing, reading, watching documentaries, listening to podcasts, traveling, and spending time with my family.

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Connect with Heidy:
Blog: https://heidyreynoso.wordpress.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidy.delacruz13/
Read my poetry on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidyspoems/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/heidyreynoso13
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heidyreynoso13