There are many barriers to genuinely connecting with other people. In our modern world, technology and busyness steal opportunities to be fully present and interact with the people around us.
We all long for deep relationships with others, but if we’re going to tear down the barriers that prevent us from sharing our true selves, we must identify the roots of the problem. We must treat the disease, not just the symptoms.
One of the most common root problems that prevents us from connecting with others is fear. We fear rejection, failure or being judged. We fear the awkwardness of new situations or that we won’t be good enough.
One of our deepest needs is to be known and loved. Unfortunately, we’re often so paralyzed by our fears that we’re unable or unwilling to take the risks necessary to find the type of genuine relationships we crave.
We have this deep need for connection because God created us to need others and to need Him. We fear opening up because we live in a world of broken relationships that don’t reflect the relationships God intended for us.
According to the Bible’s story of the first human beings, people started out in a perfect relationship with God. They eventually broke that relationship by believing lies about Him and betraying Him. When they realized what they’d done, fear entered their lives and their response was to literally hide from God so He wouldn’t see their mistakes.
We are still hiding from God and each other. Anyone can look around and see that our world is full of broken relationships, that it’s easy to put on a mask with other people and to hide from God.
Only when we overcome our fears and stop hiding can we know the joy of a deeper connection with God and with others.
The good news is that we’re not doomed to isolation. Jesus overcame our brokenness and made a way for us to have a relationship with God again. God offers each of us a relationship with Himself, but we must each decide if we are willing to stop hiding and accept it.
Only when we overcome our fears and stop hiding can we know the joy of a deeper connection with God and with others.
It’s never occurred to many of us that there could be something deeper beneath the superficial distractions of life that prevent us from connecting with others. So how do we identify the fears that underlie our overuse of technology and the pull of busyness?
Below are some areas to begin thinking through to help you build deeper relationships and avoid isolation.
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