photographer: Aaron Cox
I’m an introvert. A lot of people don’t believe me when I say that (apparently I talk a lot??), but that’s because a lot of people think that introvert = shy and extrovert = not shy. But that’s not the case. Rather, an introvert gets energy from being alone (and can find it draining to be around people) and an extrovert gets energy from being around people.
Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE being around people! But that was not always the case. Years ago, I had some tough stuff happen and I found myself keeping completely to myself. “That’s okay,” I thought. “I’m an introvert. Being alone is good for me.” And I truly believed it. But the reality was that it wasn’t. Unfortunately I couldn’t see that at the time.
As I came out of those trying times and began to once again connect with my old friends, I realized how dark my life had been.
Today’s verse says that a person who isolates himself pursues selfish desires. I can totally see where I did that. My wanting to be alone was completely selfish! I thought MY life was better that way and I literally didn’t care about other people. I abandoned my friends. I purposely tried to avoid people in public. And I blamed it all on the fact that “I’m an introvert.”
The verse also says that a person who isolates himself “rebels against all sound wisdom.” How about this biblical sound wisdom:
For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” Matthew 18:20
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11
You see, the Bible is adamant that we surround ourselves with godly people!
My life truly blossomed once I surrounded myself with godly friends. There was more laughter, more love, more joy. But it wasn’t easy to break away from my old ways. It literally took years of baby steps. I started spending more time with friends. I’d force myself to say hi to every person on the elevator. I started going to the cashier instead of the self checkout.
All these small changes helped me to break out of my isolation. I first surrounded myself with my godly friends who helped get me out of my funk. They loved on me and showed me how to love. Then I took that love and began sharing it with everyone I come in contact with, which is what we are called to do!
Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:11
This purpose of this post is to encourage you to not isolate yourself, but rather find ways to connect with godly people. Surround yourself with those people and allow their light to shine in your life, and you will find yourself shining a light into others!
If you feel like you have no godly friends, pray and ask God to send you someone. I promise He will. He’s done this for me before and for my friends as well. He wants you to have godly company and will make a way for you!
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