Even though the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have perfect and eternal unity, yet they remain distinct persons. In the same way, even though someday we shall attain perfect unity with other believers and with Christ, yet we shall forever remain distinct persons as well, with our own individual gifts, abilities, interests, responsibilities, circles of personal relationships, preferences and desires.
Fellowship
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
In truth he is always with us; for the feast is His, and the hall is His, and every guest is brought in by His grace, and every dish on the table is placed there by His love.
Thomas Merton
It is… of supreme importance that we consent to live not for ourselves but for others. When we do this we will be able first of all to face and accept our own limitations. As long as we secretly adore ourselves, our own deficiencies will remain to torture us with an apparent defilement. But if we live for others, we will gradually discover that no one expects us to be ‘as gods’. We will see that we are human, like everyone else, that we all have weaknesses and deficiencies, and that these limitations of ours play a most important part in all our lives. It is because of them that we need others and others need us. We are not all weak in the same spots, and so we supplement and complete one another, each one making up in himself for the lack in another.
Joni Eareckson Tada
The times we find ourselves having to wait on others may be the perfect opportunities to train ourselves to wait on the Lord.
Jack Hayford
So often people isolate themselves when they are lonely, hurt or afraid. Yet the Lord says that He wants to put them into families—families of friends, families within the Body of Christ, families of their own. The isolation to which many have retreated is due to broken relationships that need to be bound together. Other times, there are relationships that do not yet exist that need to be bound together; however, assisting or inviting people into small group fellowships or prayer groups sets an atmosphere where the healing of prayerful partnership and friendship will eventuate in faith that binds together.
Woodrow Kroll
Quite honestly, most people are quick to “write someone off.” But our God is a God of the second chance. Learn from One who is patient with you, and you’ll learn to be patient with others.
Joyce Meyer
It is time for us to make up our minds. We have a way to get connected like never before and so many are not using it for the best things. I want to use the internet and Facebook to connect with other Christians so I can encourage and be encouraged in everyday life. I need prayer but I need the encouragement of the rest of the Body of Christ. My body couldn’t function correctly if I didn’t have a mouth to eat or a stomach to make the able to be taken to the rest of the body. Let’s start connecting for strength and training instead of complaining and gossiping.
John M Perkins
Jesus intentionally brought together disciples who were very different – fishermen, tax collectors – not people who would naturally love one another. But he did this to show us what love looks like in practice. We have the privilege of putting this same kind of love on display as we love those in the body of Christ who don’t look like us.
Ray Johnston
You have no control over how your friends treat you but you have absolute control over whether your spiritual batteries are charged. If they are, you’ll have strength even when your friends are trying to take you down the road you don’t want to go.
Jason Vallotton
I believe that without the kindred affection of friends, a man is very one-sided. Just as it takes iron to sharpen iron, through the course of navigating relationships, friction and comfort are created, often showing the truth of a man to himself. Without the grinding wheel, the knife would never be sharp, and without one another, unconditional love with humanity would only be a theory. But through my closest relationships, my rough edges have become smooth and sharp.