People were created as social creatures. If you want proof, refer back to Genesis 2:18.

“'The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (NIV)

We are not meant to be alone. This does not mean we have to be extraverts or have a large social circle, it just means that we are designed and intended to be with other people. We are not meant to spend our lives alone. We do better when we are allow ourselves to grow with others. Consider the parable of the sower and soil ecology in Matthew 13:3-9, Mark 4:1-9, and Luke 8:4-8. The seed only does well when it’s in good, beneficial soil. We, as people, are like those seeds. We need a beneficial ecology in order to grow (spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally). So if we want to to grow spiritually, we have to place ourselves in good “spiritual soil.”

This means finding a faith community. Not just any community, but a healthy faith community. One that chooses to follow Christ, not one that uses religion as an excuse to spew bigotry; one that espouses the truth because that it what love actually looks like, not one that refuses to correct their brothers and sisters our of fear to hurt their feelings; one that uses the Bible as their guide, not one that claims the Bible is no longer relevant.

We, as Christians, need community.

When Christians disengage from their faith community, they jeopardize their spiritual growth (Lowe and Lowe, 61-62). Not only do we risk jeopardizing our own growth, we might also be shortchanging the people around us. We, as believers, may have something to offer other people in our community. Perhaps it is a shoulder to cry on, perhaps it is a word of encouragement, perhaps it is prior knowledge, or perhaps it is simply being around someone else who seeks a deeper relationship with our creator. Either way, it can hurt you (and others) if you disengage from your community.

Maybe this means returning to church, maybe this means joining a Bible study - and maybe adding a face-to-face engagement is impossible in your schedule. I know how it feels to wonder where the day goes, and feel that it is impossible to add even one more thing to my day. If that sounds like you, perhaps it may be more prudent to find an online Bible Study or community that you can participate in when you have a few minutes waiting on the dentist to call you back, while you lay in bed and scroll your phone for ten minutes before bed, while you sit in the school parking lot waiting for the kids to be released. The value in doing a virtual Bible study means you can fit it in on your time, not matter what time other people are participating.

Either way, you need to be involved in a community of believers. You need to make it a priority. Maybe it means prioritizing church this Sunday. Maybe it means opening your Bible App and finding a short Bible study you can do this week. Maybe it means listening to a Christian Podcast on your way to work. Maybe, it means signing up for a Christian Newsletter to come to your inbox instead of the secular one (not sponsored).

Find a way to get involved with the Christian community. Your spiritual health demands it.

References:

Stephen D. Lowe and Mary E. Lowe. Spiritual Ecologies in a Digital Age. InterVarsity Press. 2018.