The Inner Circle

There are a handful of things in this world worth fighting for, or better yet, worth really living for. One of these, that I deeply yearn for myself, is true friendship - specifically, a group of close friends forming a spiritual community. When true friendship is shared within a group, and each member values honesty, trust, and allows the Holy Spirit to speak through them, that group becomes a spiritual community. In a true community everybody makes the person next to them better, because each member pours themselves into each other, bringing out the best parts of each other. Sounds good right? But we all know how hard to find it really is, mainly because it's scary. It's risky. It requires people to be real.But it is definitely worth the risk. We are designed to be relational. It's been said that we were birthed out of the laughter of the Trinity.

Recently, I've been reading a book called "Becoming a True Spiritual Community" and it has rocked my world. I love the book. (Link at the bottom of this post if you'd like to get the book). It's touching the ache that I've had for a while now, but never heard expressed so clearly and abundantly. Christ laid out the dynamic power and mystery of the "body of Christ" in that we all need each other, and cannot function properly without others in the Church. We are all meant to be a specific, unique part of Christ's body here and now. What are your giftings? What do people enjoy most about being around you? When do you feel most alive? All these factors point to your unique identity and what the world, and specifically the church needs you to be.

I'm so blessed to have a small group of close friends with which I can share my life: burdens, sins, fears, hopes, dreams, joys, accomplishments. Almost anything. There are still parts of my lesser self that I am hesitant in sharing, but that kind of brutal honesty comes in time and takes courage. It is our natural inclination to hide the less desirable parts of ourselves and highlight our strengths. We want to be good almost as much as we want to be seen as good. But a true friend knows your ugly parts just as well as they know your strengths, and they love you. Even when you're struggling in sin and making the same mistake over and over, they still see your true heart, and encourage what they see Christ doing in you. They are able to distinguish your sinful flesh that still remains, from the new nature that God has placed within you, and help you navigate the war between the two. Often we have trouble understanding ourselves and unfolding our own lives. We desperately need friends to discern what we're going through and also envision who we are becoming. We need an inner circle who holds us accountable for even our most embarrassing sins.

Jesus had his inner circle of three best friends inside a community of twelve. I think that's a pretty good model to follow. The three best friends sounds doable to me, but a community of twelve that I trust and share my life with? That sounds difficult, even doubtful. Don't get me wrong. I want it. But I don't think I've ever had it. Churches these days are trying to help us. I'm sure you've been encouraged to join a small group if you've been to church within the last 3 years or so. But that's not exactly what we want. We want to be known and cherished and needed and encouraged and challenged, and uplifted! I don't know exactly how to find it (or I wouldn't still be looking). Let's start praying fervently for God to open us up to the idea of spiritual community and to lead us into the relationships we need to establish it.