The Holy Spirit: God Among UsSample

Being part of God’s family sounds amazing, and it is! But the reality of any family, including in church or small group, can be hard. You might show up and see cliques, tension, or drama. You might wonder if true unity really happens anywhere.

If this feels a little too familiar, you are in good company! Living in a Jesus-centered community with very different people has always been hard, even for the first Christians. The Early Church was made up of people from all sorts of backgrounds who often struggled to get along. That’s why Paul wrote Romans 12: “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them … Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other … Be patient in trouble … Be ready to help … Live in harmony with each other.” (Romans 12:9, NLT).

If we’re honest, that sounds like a pretty tall order! It can feel almost impossible to love deeply when someone has hurt you, or to be genuine when someone’s personality and story are so different from your own. Loving deeply, forgiving, serving, and being patient isn’t something you can just do on your own.

You need the Holy Spirit to help you.

Only he can give you the strength to love and show grace when relationships get messy. If your church doesn’t look like a perfectly unified family (because no family does), the Holy Spirit invites you to stick around and not give up. Instead, lean on him for the patience and power to live this out. The Holy Spirit can work through you to unify the parts of his body that have become divided. On the outside, that might look like practicing grace, offering forgiveness, or showing love, even when it’s hard. On the inside, it looks like the Holy Spirit transforming your heart to love people in his family the way he does.

Reflection and Prayer

Take a moment to think about your own relationships in the family of God. Is there someone you need to forgive in your heart, or someone you should offer more grace to, even if it feels hard? Maybe you realize you need to ask for forgiveness yourself, or reach out and be the first to encourage another person. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where he’s inviting you to take a step toward real unity today.

Holy Spirit, help me see where I can help build unity in your family. Give me the courage to forgive, extend grace, and take that first step toward healing or friendship. Guide my heart so that my love for others becomes more like yours every day. Amen.