Connection

In our world of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and texting, it would seem that we are more connected than we have ever been.  I can go to Facebook and see pictures of my friend’s amazing European vacation, and I can see pictures of her new grandkids.  Through Facebook I can get a glimpse of what is going on in my friend’s and family’s lives, seeing the things that I can’t see in person.  We can receive hundreds of birthday well wishes on our special day.   But does this make us feel connection? 

Much of what we see on Facebook is glowing.  Rarely do I see the “real world” of someone’s life.  We never see that a Facebook friend’s husband is leaving her or that a friend’s brother was diagnosed with cancer.  I never see a post of someone who is struggling with an addiction or with the consequences of an affair.   Facebook posts tend to only show the good in our lives and that is not reality.  

We all have STUFF that we are struggling with now, hurts that won’t seem to go away or scars from the past that still haunt us and won’t release their grip on us.  These are the things that are real in our world:  Hurt, Anger, Betrayal, Loss, Sin, Pride, Loneliness, etc.   Most of the time, we can’t see that on Facebook.    Even though, in theory, we are the most “connected” we have ever been, if we are not careful, we let only the beautiful, clean, and perfect details of our lives to be seen by others.  This is not real connection because in all honesty, we can’t relate to people who seem to be perfect and have it all together. 

What, then, is real connection?  It is being in honest, authentic relationships with others and being accountable to others.  We were created for relationship – first and foremost with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and secondly, with other believers.  We can’t do life without our Christian sisters in our lives.  Well, we can, but it’s not the life that God intended for us.  It’s not the full, abundant life that HE created us for.  We must have our sisters in the Lord to sharpen us and to keep us in check.  We need the support and encouragement of each other, and we need the prayers of others. 

This past week, I was so glad that I had someone like that in my life to hold me accountable.  I needed to be asked a hard question, and I needed someone to speak truth to me.   She didn’t worry about my reaction or if I would think she was being nosy.  She was more concerned about my spiritual life, and she was willing to be honest with me.  The truth is, I need someone asking me the tough questions, and I need someone checking up on me because I need accountability.   Proverbs 27:17 states that “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another”.  This verse spoke volumes to me this week as I thought about how much I need my Christian sisters in my life. 

God continues to reveal areas of my life that aren’t fully surrendered to HIM.  That’s why I need someone to help me see the things that I sometimes don’t see, the things that maybe (if I’m really honest with myself) I don’t want to see.  There are things I want to cover up, rationalize, explain away, and say, “it’s just who I am and always will be”.   That’s where my community of Christ followers comes in – they are there to gently show me the things that I have turned a blind eye to.  They are there to be authentic, honest, open and transparent with me.  This is what I need and this is what the Father wants for all of us. 

Be willing to listen to the person God is allowing to sharpen you. And be willing to have the difficult, yet life-changing conversation with the person God has put in your path to sharpen. 

This week, my prayer is that God will show us how to live this way with the people HE has connected us to.    

Angela Sutsakhan