Where do I belong?

Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. (Romans 12:4-5)

A deep and lasting sense of belonging is one of the things we hear people say they are looking for in various ways. Some seek it in their career, others in their community. Some will search for 'forever love', thinking that will give them that sense of 'belonging' they so desperately desire. I have to admit, I have fallen into the trap of seeking a sense of 'belonging' on occasion. As a small child, I thought I didn't 'fit in' at school, so I made up all kinds of stories about who I was, what I had accomplished, and what my parents did. I'll be the first to admit, that didn't work out too well. At some point, the truth becomes evident and all that 'fitting in' I had been trying to accomplish didn't really end up giving me any sense of belonging. In fact, the opposite happened - I felt more alone and isolated than I did before! The more we seek to belong, the harder it can be to actually feel that we do belong. 

As a child of God, we all belong in his family. The deepest and most permanent sense of 'belonging' is found in drawing near to him. When we get our focus off of what others think about us, who they might judge us to be, and onto who Jesus says we are and what he says we are to him, the more secure we will become in our 'belonging'. The Body of Christ is just a bunch of sinners, redeemed by the blood of Jesus, coming together to live in community with each other. We all bring our hurts and hangups right into the mix and as a result, there can be a sense of not 'feeling' like we 'belong' in his church. Get yourself into a group of 'on fire' and committed believers and you will soon realize that 'belonging' is based on what Christ sees in us, not what those around us believe about us. 

We all have a special function but are we opening up to each other as we should? Our function in his Body is only as good as our obedience to his calling on our lives. The more we seek his face, the clearer our 'function' in the Body of Christ will be. It could be that we are great listeners and others find time with us beneficial because they can unburden without judgment. If might be that we love kids, finding ourselves drawn to helping out in children's ministries. The 'calling' on our lives doesn't give us a sense of belonging - Christ does. Once we realize that we belong "IN CHRIST", the better equipped we will be to just be ourselves, allowing others to really get to know us for who we are, and then allowing God to use who we are to minister into the lives of others. Just sayin!