Session 6

What stops you from pursuing unity?

From Pursuing Uncommon Unity: A 7-Day Devotional

Not many people are against the idea of unity. We vote for people who promise to bring unity. We sing songs about unity and give awards to those who work toward unity.

So if we can agree that unity is important, what keeps us from pursuing it in our own lives?

The answer is embedded in the question. Unity doesn’t just happen. It takes an ongoing active pursuit. Unity will require us to take risks, enter uncomfortable situations, and face the possibility of getting hurt.

Acts 2:42 says the first Christians devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. Sounds like a sweet gathering of friends and family, right?

The people in the early church weren’t all Jewish, and they probably weren’t from the same neighborhoods. Yet, they opened their homes to each other. They shared what they had, and they welcomed teaching and correction. They didn’t stumble upon unity by accident, they pursued it. And as they worked as a unit, God worked through them.

“Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles ... And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:43, Acts 2:47)

Fear, pride, and hopelessness will always talk us out of pursuing unity. We’ll second guess the decision to reach out or to have a hard conversation because we fear what the other person will think. Instead of taking a step in, we’ll tell ourselves, “I can do this on my own.” Or, we’ll stop pursuing unity before we start, assuming, “It’ll never work. Why even bother?”

Unity doesn’t come easy. But if we’ll accept the challenge and push through the awkwardness, like the early church, we might see God move in miraculous ways.

Reflect:

• How many of your friends are different from you?
• What, if anything, do you find scary about building relationships or getting to know new people?
• Has there been a time when you talked yourself out of pursuing a friendship? What did God teach you through that experience?