Matagal na nung huli mo silang nakita. It has been weeks, months, or maybe years since you last got in touch with your friends in church. You didn’t mean to, but it just so happened that you’ve become distant and disconnected. It may be because of something that put you off, or other things became more important. You stopped attending small group meetings and even online get-togethers.

Now, you want to connect with them again. You want to talk to them about your doubts and fears, your frustrations about how things are still not back to the way they were.

But you’re hesitant. Baka may konting hiya din, dahil matagal kang hindi nagparamdam. Ang dami mo kasing ganap sa buhay o talagang may pinagdaanan lang. You want to share your life with them like you used to, but you don’t know where or how to start. Paano ba mag-reconnect?

Para sa ’yo na nahihirapang bumalik, know that even right now, you are not alone. God sees exactly where you are and He wants to walk you through it.

Maybe you’re scared of being judged or rejected, and you might feel that’s what you’ll see in others’ eyes. 

God wants you to know that you are accepted. 

If He loved us at our worst (Romans 5:8), all the more now we can be sure that His arms are wide open. Handa siyang akayin ka pabalik sa mga taong maituturing mo ring pamilya. God wants to let you know that He is looking at you not with disappointment, but with understanding. He knows more than anyone how uncertain and uncomfortable you must feel, and He’s saying, “I will be with you. Do not be afraid or discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:8).

Maybe you’re thinking right now, “I know all these. I know God loves me and accepts me, but it’s people I’m not so sure of.“

You’re right. People will not always respond the way we want or need them to and we might get hurt somewhere along the way. Your heart must have gotten bruised by offense that’s why you’re not ready to risk it all over again.

God wants you to know He is the one who heals you. 

He saw the pain and shame you went through and He sees you right now. He cares about the condition of your heart.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

Psalm 34:18

He is there to rescue you when you’re discouraged and when you have given up hope on people or on yourself. No one can tell you that you will never get hurt or offended ever again, but you can be sure that God will always renew your hope (Psalm 147:3). He is the one who gives you a fresh start and allows you to hope again.

Your assurance in this broken world with imperfect people is that you can trust God with your heart because He cares about you. So you can give all your worries and cares to Him (1 Peter 5:7).

Because God cares for you, part of His good and perfect plan for you is to put you in a spiritual family. 

God places the lonely in families . . . 

Psalm 68:6

Though no church community will ever be perfect, you can trust that God will lead you where you will know Him and His love more. It’s tempting to keep trying to protect yourself through isolation, but it’s time to surrender your heart to Him. Ask Him to be the one to protect and guide you to the family He will place you in.

God wants you to encounter His love in a life shared with others.

Like you, others have had their share of falling short in relationships. But, as we allow His love to overcome each other’s shortcomings, we can continue to encourage and build each other up.

It’s in this community of imperfect but forgiven people that you will know how deep, wide, high, and long God’s love is for you.

No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

1 John 4:12

Your Father has already gone ahead of you to prepare the hearts of those who you will share life with. He will also be the one to prepare your heart. Let Him give you the courage and strength to answer that call, to take that step of faith back to family. 

If you’re reading this right now and you want to reconnect with church community, we’d like to help you. Send us a message through http://www.facebook.com/encampusph.