Fellowship

"If we say we have fellowship with God yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth."  -1 John 1:6

All my life I've struggled to love everyone, no matter what, as God calls me to do.  One thing that has helped when unloving thoughts crop up is to remember I'm not called to "love the sin" but rather "the sinner" because, after all, I am a sinner too.  I've also reminded myself that I'm not called to "like" everyone--only to love them.  But when you desire to be "in a relationship" with someone, which means you're expecting what you feel to be reciprocated, it's often easy to forget all those "aids for loving" because of your disappointment.   I'm finally realizing what I'm really desiring is not "relationship" so much as it is "fellowship."  A relationship is just a connection to someone.  To have fellowship with someone means to share interests and be in agreement with.

God's definition of fellowship is explained in the next verse in 1 John 1:  Verse 7:   "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin."

When we "walk in the light," meaning we have received His Holy Spirit and do not quench His work in us, we will have fellowship with other believers, who also have the Holy Spirit.  It is only by His Spirit that we can have fellowship with God and with one another.  This explains why it is so hard for people to get along--they may desire to be in a relationship with someone, but if they do not both walk in His Light, they can never have true fellowship.

I am grateful that God has made it possible for me to be in fellowship with Him and with others through His Son.