The Body of Christ

Romans 12:4-5 “4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”

I think one of the biggest things we are called to as believers is to serve. God created community and the body of believers to uplift one another. Romans 12:4-5 compares the community of believers to a body, with different parts that serve different functions.

I went to the doctor recently and they put me on very strict restrictions for my ankle that has a possible torn ligament. In my mind the injury wasn't that big of a deal, “it's just a glorified sprain and not that big of a deal.” I kept thinking that until my doctor told me the only way to avoid surgery was to try and baby it as much as possible, meaning I can't walk on it, stand on it, I can't bend, lift heavy things, or even take stairs. I didn't think it was a big deal, until I couldn't use it. Now I have other parts of my body to help where my ankle can't perform. My hip muscles, my arms, my knees, all things that weren't used as much are being used so much that I am getting sore.

As a body of believers Christians play a different role within the body. Some are the feet, some are the hands, some are the mouth while others are the ears. When a part of the body is hurt, down, or struggling, a healthy functioning body will use other parts of itself to keep the body moving as a whole, including the hurt part. My first instinct when I am struggling is to hide my hurt, to let it be a reason that I don’t serve and to distance myself, in reality the place that we need to turn to in those moments is the congregation. The thing we need to do is go and serve the body of believers, because our attitude towards the struggles we face shows our faithfulness to God. Step outside of our own struggles and feelings and serve those who God is calling us to serve, I guarantee the Lord provides so much peace through that act alone. We are not promised an explanation as to why we face the things we do in the moment but we are promised peace that goes beyond our own circumstances. That doesn't mean that he takes away the problems, it means he gives the peace that otherwise wouldn't even be possible. If we as Christians let our struggles and hurts, and problems stop us from being where the Lord wants us to be, we show people around us that we don't have trust or faith in what the Lord is doing. It doesn't mean hide your problems, or put on a fake smile, it means truly find joy by surrounding yourself with other believers who are going to uplift you. The people around me know the struggle of not having a working ankle right now, and know I am struggling financially and mentally, but I pray that what they see more than all the struggle is a faithful servant of the Lord who provides it all.