Failure to Fellowship

Anita Delene Manthe
Sep 8, 2016
2 min read

Most of us have made excuses for skipping a church gathering, a ladies fellowship event, or cancelled a meeting with one or two other women with whom we are not comfortable. We do this at the last minute, and then justify the reasons we’ve given to salve our conscience.

When cancelling, avoiding, or silly excuses become our normal practice – we miss opportunities for growth, change and encouragement. Encouragement we can receive, and which we can give. We begin to separate ourselves from the necessary Truths that shape our understanding stunting our spiritual growth. The evidence of this can’t be hidden. Our excuses reveal our true status, “out of the abundance of the heart” the “mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34; Luke 6:45). Our insincere excuses together with our lack of fellowship and need of God-centered conversation reveals the truth of our heart. We speak deceitfully to deny the reality of our innermost thoughts.

When we isolate ourselves from church related gatherings and events, and it becomes a habit, we separate ourselves from the very Truths, and fellowship needed to shape our understanding. We miss out on Biblical discussion and application that gives meaning to the knowledge we have gleaned of God, and His character.

Knowing more of God will influence the way we think – we will grow to trust Him – enriching our conversation, affecting everything we do. God-centered discussions in community will strengthen our soul. We will long for fellowship as it provides an opportunity to speak of His faithfulness, His mercy, and His love. We will become part of a growing community – “like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers” (Psalm 1:3).

Iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens his friend (Proverbs 27:17)
That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:1-19).